道德经一

Daodejing One: 11/59

名 


 

cháng

the name that can be named

is not “constant name”

is not a “constant name”

is not the “constant name”

there is no article (a/the) in ancient chinese

 

the character 常cháng in modern chinese

can be used to form words like

常常chángcháng often

常态chángtài a constant or persistent state

if the name is not a constant one

then it is subject to change

anything you can talk about

anything you can put a name to

is subject to change

think of a dog

call it a dog

but it is not a constant dog

in 50 years it might be soil, part of some plants, etc.

dog is subject to change

sorry

i know you already know this about your dog

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