每日中华文化专词双译|中庸

孔子和儒家所肯定的最高德行。“中”指言行没有过或不及的状态或标准。凡事都有某种限度，超过和达不到这个限度都是不好的。“庸”包含两个相关的含义：其一指平常，其二指恒常。“中”只有在平常日用之中才能恒常不易。“中庸”即指在人伦日用中始终遵循、符合无过无不及的标准。

Zhongyong (golden mean) was considered to be the highest level of virtue by Confucius and Confucian scholars. Zhong (中) means moderate in one's words and deeds. Everything has its limits, and neither exceeding nor falling short of the limits is desirable. Yong (庸) has two meanings. One is common or ordinary and the other is unchanging. Moderation can be maintained for over a long time only when one practices it in everyday life. Zhongyong means the standard of moderation that one should follow in dealing with others and in one's everyday conduct.

引例 Citations：

◎中庸之为德也，其至矣乎！（《论语·雍也》）

中庸作为一种道德，是最高的准则吧！

Zhongyong is the highest of virtues. (The Analects)

◎中庸者，不偏不倚、无过不及而平常之理。（朱熹《中庸章句》）

中庸就是不偏颇，没有过或不及的平常的道理。

Zhongyong does not bend one way or the other; it is the common principle of neither exceeding nor falling short of the line. (Zhu Xi: Commentary on The Doctrine of the Mean)

（推荐：教育部 国家语委 供稿：北京外国语大学 外语教学与研究出版社）