知其不可而為之

Chinese
to know; to be aware
 
his; her; its
his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to sth preceding it)
 cannot; should not; must not
 
and; as well as; but (not)
and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)
 
because of; for; to
because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
 's; him/her/it; this
trad. (知其不可而為之/知其不可而爲之) 知 其 不可 而 為/爲 之
simp. (知其不可而为之) 知 其 不可 而 为 之

Etymology

The Analects:

子路宿於石門。晨門曰：「奚自？」子路曰：「自孔氏。」曰：「是知其不可而為之者與？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子路宿于石门。晨门曰：“奚自？”子路曰：“自孔氏。”曰：“是知其不可而为之者与？” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐlù sù yú Shímén. Chénmén yuē: “Xīzì?” Zǐlù yuē: “Zì Kǒng shì.” Yuē: “Shì zhī qí bùkě ér wéi zhī zhě yú?” [Pinyin]
Zilu spent the night at Shimen.
(In the morning) the gatekeeper asked him, “Where do you come from?”
Zilu said, “I come from (the house of) Mr. Kong.”
(The gate keeper) responded, “Is he (not) the one who knows the futility (of doing something) yet does it anyway.”

Pronunciation

Idiom

知其不可而為之

  1. Synonym of 知其不可而為／知其不可而为 (zhī qí bùkě ér wéi, “to (stubbornly) do something even though one knows it is impossible”).
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