Caigentan (菜根譚) - Former Collection (前集) #15 [Passage 015]

Caigentan (菜根譚) – Former Collection (前集) #15 [Passage 015]

Friendship’s Righteousness, Life’s Simplicity

📜 Original Text

交友須帶三分俠氣，做人要存一點素心。

📚 Translation

In friendship, one should carry a touch of righteousness and chivalry.
In life, one must preserve at least a trace of a simple and unadorned heart.

🔍 Explanation: Human Wisdom Maintained in Reality

This passage offers profound insight into how we relate to others and conduct ourselves in daily life.
Its power lies in the fact that it presents virtues that are realistically attainable, rather than lofty moral ideals alone.

The first line, “交友須帶三分俠氣”, reminds us that when making friends, it is important to have a certain measure of loyalty and chivalry.

Here, “三分” (three parts) literally means 30%, but metaphorically it suggests “a moderate degree” or “just enough.”

The message is not to throw oneself recklessly into every situation, but to have the courage and integrity to support friends and stand against injustice—within reasonable bounds.

It teaches that true friendships are not built on cold calculations or self-interest, but on the strength of manageable, sincere loyalty.

This kind of friendship not only protects others but also helps preserve our own dignity and humanity.

The second part, “做人要存一點素心”, emphasizes the importance of maintaining a pure and simple heart in the course of one’s life.

The phrase “一點” (a little) can be understood as “even a trace,” implying that even the smallest amount of inner sincerity is worth holding on to.

In a world driven by speed, glamour, and material pursuit, this line calls on us to keep even a speck of our original, unadorned self—our true heart—intact.

It doesn’t demand that we become saints free of all desires, but simply encourages us to not lose touch with the quiet clarity within us.

That small effort to stay grounded in simplicity can be what keeps us truly human.

Ultimately, this passage does not demand perfection.

It suggests a balanced, humane philosophy—one that values just enough chivalry in friendship and just enough sincerity in life.

If we can preserve even a little of each, we are already walking the path of a noble character.

Even if one falls short of perfection,
it is that small trace of loyalty and purity that keeps us human.

✍️ Hanja Breakdown

交 (jiāo): to associate with, to meet
友 (yǒu): friend
交友 (jiāoyǒu): to make friends, to socialize
須 (xū): must, necessarily
帶 (dài): to carry, to possess, to have
三 (sān): three
分 (fēn): to divide; part, degree. Here, indicating a proportion or degree.
三分 (sānfēn): thirty percent (30%). Here, used to mean 'a certain degree', 'a little'.
俠 (xiá): chivalrous person, chivalry
氣 (qì): spirit, air, attitude
俠氣 (xiáqì): chivalry, sense of justice, heroic spirit
做 (zuò): to make, to do, to be
人 (rén): person
做人 (zuòrén): to conduct oneself as a person, character
要 (yào): must, need to, want to
存 (cún): to exist, to keep, to preserve
一 (yī): one
點 (diǎn): dot; a small amount, a little. Used in modern Chinese to mean 'a little, a bit'.
一點 (yīdiǎn): one dot, one piece. In modern Chinese, used to mean 'a little, a bit'.
素 (sù): white, plain, simple, unadorned
心 (xīn): heart, mind
素心 (sùxīn): simple heart, unadorned heart, original heart