<p>word by word translation:</p>

<p>夫子　the master (our teacher)<br>
至　　arrives<br>
於　　at<br>
是　　this (=a；indefinite, i.e. any or a certain)<br>
邦　　state,<br>
也　　clause marker (here marks as temporal clause: when)<br>
When our master arrives in a state,<br></p>

<p>必　　certain to (modal verb)<br>
聞　　hear about<br>
其　　its (= the country)<br>
政　　government (i.e. how well is it governed)<br>
he is sure to learn whether it is well-governed<br></p>

<p>求　　seek (=ask about)<br>
之　　it (=knowledge of the government)<br>
與　　interrogative particle (=呢/嗎）<br>
Does he seek out this information?<br></p>

<p>抑　　or (=還是)<br>
與　　give (=be given)<br>
之　　it (=knowledge of the government)<br>
與　　interrogative particle (=呢/嗎）<br>
Or do people [just] give him this information (without him even asking)?<br></p>

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2015-08-06T06:27:46.903Z
2015-08-06T06:27:46.903Z
wpt
<p>To add some context:
「夫子至是邦也，必聞其政，求之與？抑與之與？」
this is where OP's quote coming from.</p>

<p>求之與？抑與之與？
求之與？ is basically saying "do you seek it yourself(perhaps doing some investigative work) to obtain the information"</p>

<p>抑與之與？
is saying "or you just hear(hear to believe) what other people are saying"</p>

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2015-08-03T22:06:33.490Z
to be clearwr 抑 here is a conjunction "or". the first 與 means "to go with"; the second is equivalent to 歟，which indicates doubt (like 耶)
Master Sparkles
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2015-08-04T11:03:39.927Z
Can you show me this translation of 4 characters character after character? because I cannot put it together
Zbigniew Adamowicz
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-06T11:02:20.740Z
oops, 與 doesn't mean go with, it means "give" as wpt's answer.
Master Sparkles
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-03T20:44:07.020Z
2015-08-03T20:44:07.020Z
Gugg
<p>it's Analects chapter 10
when the master comes to a country does he ask about the government? and then: 抑與之與?
the last 與 is probably the ending particle. 
抑 means to restrain to restrict. The first 與 is preposition indicating passive tense?
is the Master stopped from asking?</p>

<translation>
the Master is stopped from investigation?
# the Master is stopped from investigation?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-03)

it's Analects chapter 10
when the master comes to a country does he ask about the government? and then: 抑與之與?
the last 與 is probably the ending particle.
抑 means to restrain to restrict. The first 與 is preposition indicating passive tense?
is the Master stopped from asking?

**Tags:** translation

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-08-06. Score: 2

word by word translation:

夫子　the master (our teacher)  
至　　arrives  
於　　at  
是　　this (=a；indefinite, i.e. any or a certain)  
邦　　state,  
也　　clause marker (here marks as temporal clause: when)  
When our master arrives in a state,

必　　certain to (modal verb)  
聞　　hear about  
其　　its (= the country)  
政　　government (i.e. how well is it governed)  
he is sure to learn whether it is well-governed

求　　seek (=ask about)  
之　　it (=knowledge of the government)  
與　　interrogative particle (=呢/嗎）  
Does he seek out this information?

抑　　or (=還是)  
與　　give (=be given)  
之　　it (=knowledge of the government)  
與　　interrogative particle (=呢/嗎）  
Or do people [just] give him this information (without him even asking)?


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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-08-03. Score: 2

To add some context:
「夫子至是邦也，必聞其政，求之與？抑與之與？」
this is where OP's quote coming from.

求之與？抑與之與？
求之與？ is basically saying "do you seek it yourself(perhaps doing some investigative work) to obtain the information"

抑與之與？
is saying "or you just hear(hear to believe) what other people are saying"

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: to be clearwr 抑 here is a conjunction "or". the first 與 means "to go with"; the second is equivalent to 歟，which indicates doubt (like 耶)  
> **username_0**: Can you show me this translation of 4 characters character after character? because I cannot put it together  
> **username_3**: oops, 與 doesn't mean go with, it means "give" as wpt's answer.  

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