矣
Usages
2 distinct jobs 矣 does in the Analects, each with examples from the text.
1Change of state (completed action)
Indicates something has been completed or a new situation has arisen, like modern Chinese 了.
樊遲問知。子曰：「務民之義，敬鬼神而遠之，可謂知矣。」問仁。曰：「仁者先難而後獲，可謂仁矣。」
Fan Chi asked what constituted wisdom. The Master said: "To give one's self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom." He asked about perfect virtue. The Master said: "The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration; — this may be called perfect virtue."
Legge 1861
可謂知矣
矣 settles the verdict.
陽貨欲見孔子，孔子不見，歸孔子豚。孔子時其亡也，而往拜之，遇諸塗。謂孔子曰：「來！予與爾言。」曰：「懷其寶而迷其邦，可謂仁乎？」曰：「不可。」「好從事而亟失時，可謂知乎？」曰：「不可。」「日月逝矣，歲不我與。」孔子曰：「諾。吾將仕矣。」
Yang Huo wished to see Confucius, but Confucius would not go to see him. On this, he sent a present of a pig to Confucius, who, having chosen a time when Huo was not at home, went to pay his respects for the gift. He met him, however, on the way. Huo said to Confucius: "Come, let me speak with you." He then asked: "Can he be called benevolent who keeps his jewel in his bosom, and leaves his country to confusion?" Confucius replied: "No." "Can he be called wise, who is anxious to be engaged in public employment, and yet is constantly losing the opportunity of being so?" Confucius again said: "No." "The days and months are passing away; the years do not wait for us." Confucius said: "Right; I will go into office."
Legge 1861
諾。吾將仕矣
矣 indicates impending change
曾子曰：「慎終追遠，民德歸厚矣。」
The philosopher Zeng said: "Let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with the ceremonies of sacrifice; — then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence."
Legge 1861
慎終追遠，民德歸厚矣
矣 marks the resulting change of state
子夏曰：「賢賢易色，事父母能竭其力，事君能致其身，與朋友交言而有信。雖曰未學，吾必謂之學矣。」
Zixia said: "If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if, in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere: — although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has."
Legge 1861
吾必謂之學矣
矣 indicates achieved state of learning
子曰：「溫故而知新，可以為師矣。」
The Master said: "If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others."
Legge 1861
可以為師矣
矣 looks forward to the state arrived at.
2Exclamatory emphasis
Adds emphasis or expresses strong feeling about a situation, like English "indeed" or "certainly."
子曰：「鳳鳥不至，河不出圖，吾已矣夫！」
The Master said: "The Feng bird does not come; the river sends forth no map: — it is all over with me!"
Legge 1861
吾已矣夫
已矣 = it is finished/done
儀封人請見。曰：「君子之至於斯也，吾未嘗不得見也。」從者見之。出曰：「二三子，何患於喪乎？天下之無道也久矣，天將以夫子為木鐸。」
The border warden at Yi requested to be introduced to the Master, saying: "When men of superior virtue have come to this, I have never been denied the privilege of seeing them." The followers of the sage introduced him, and when he came out from the interview, he said: "My friends, why are you distressed by your master's loss of office? The kingdom has long been without the principles of truth and right; Heaven is going to use your master as a bell with its wooden tongue."
Legge 1861
天下之無道也久矣
矣 emphasizes the length of time
子疾病，子路使門人為臣。病閒，曰：「久矣哉！由之行詐也，無臣而為有臣。吾誰欺？欺天乎？且予與其死於臣之手也，無寧死於二三子之手乎？且予縱不得大葬，予死於道路乎？」
The Master being very ill, Zilu wished the disciples to act as ministers to him. During a remission of his illness, he said: "Long has the conduct of Yu been deceitful! By pretending to have ministers when I have them not, whom should I impose upon? Should I impose upon Heaven? Moreover, than that I should die in the hands of ministers, is it not better that I should die in the hands of you, my disciples? And though I may not get a great burial, shall I die upon the road?"
Legge 1861
久矣哉！由之行詐也
矣 then 哉: the fact, then the feeling.
Combos
4 fixed patterns built on 矣, with the role each plays and where to read them.
"It's over!" / "That's it!"
15.41 子曰：「辭達而已矣。」
Expresses completion or finality, often with resignation.
"That's all!" (emphatic)
15.41 子曰：「辭達而已矣。」
Triple emphasis: 而已 + sentence-final 矣.
Emphatic exclamation
9.9 子曰：「鳳鳥不至，河不出圖，吾已矣夫！」
矣 (completion) + 夫 (exclamatory) for strong emotional emphasis.
Emphatic question or exclamation
15.13 子曰：「已矣乎！吾未見好德如好色者也。」
Combination expressing strong feeling, often in rhetorical contexts.