Chinese Wisdom Stories · Volume 1 · Story guide

郭伋守信Guo Ji Keeps His Promise

guō jí shǒu xìn

HSK4+典故

A group of children promises to meet Guo Ji when he returns. He arrives a day early, so he waits outside the city until the promised day.

Where this story comes from

《后汉书·郭伋传》

Book of the Later Han, biography of Guo Ji

The story

郭伋巡视到西河美稷,一群孩子骑着竹马在路边迎接他。郭伋问他们什么时候回来,孩子们说:等您回来我们再来迎接。郭伋算好日期,答应那天回来。巡视结束后,他比约定早了一天到达。为了不违背对孩子们的承诺,他没有进城,而是在野外亭子里住了一夜,等到约定那天才进入。

What the idiom means

郭伋守信指即使是答应孩子的事也认真做到;比喻守信不分对象,对任何人都要说到做到。

Guo Ji keeps a promise to children even when he arrives early — trust means honoring a commitment no matter who it was made to.

How to use it

别以为对小孩子就可以随便说说,郭伋守信的故事告诉我们,承诺就是承诺。

bié yǐ wéi duì xiǎo hái zi jiù kě yǐ suí biàn shuō shuō , guō jí shǒu xìn de gù shì gào sù wǒ men , chéng nuò jiù shì chéng nuò 。

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Part of the Chinese Wisdom Stories series