Chinese idiom · 成语
名正言顺
Meaning
Right name, smooth words; legitimate and justified.
Character by character
Origin and story
Philosophical dialogueIn the Analects' Zilu chapter, Zilu asks what Confucius would do first if the ruler of Wei entrusted him with government. Confucius answers that names and roles must be put right. Zilu finds this impractical, but Confucius explains a chain of consequences: confused names make speech incoherent, which obstructs action, ritual, music, and the proper administration of punishment. Ordinary people are then left without guidance.
The familiar four-character phrase compresses the positive implication of his argument, originally stated negatively: if names are not right, words cannot follow properly. Later usage broadens this concern with rightful roles into having a legitimate, reasonable basis for speaking or acting.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
合同已经写明了退款条件，我们要求退款是名正言顺的。
The contract spells out the refund conditions, so we have a legitimate basis for requesting one.
Emphasizes a rightful basis or recognized standing, not merely a persuasive excuse.