Confucius said, “Correcting names, of course!”
Zi Lu said, “Oh really! That’s far-fetched! How would you correct them?”
Confucius said, “Zi Lu, you are really barbaric. A noble man, when faced with something he does not know, tries to hide his ignorance.
“If names are not correct, then words are unfitting; if words are unfitting, then matters are not accomplished. If matters are not accomplished, then ceremony and music will not flourish. If ceremony and music do not flourish, then justice will not be evenhanded. If justice is not evenhanded, the people will be tied hand and foot. That is why the noble man must use names that can be spoken, and words that can become deeds. The noble man never speaks carelessly, that’s all there is to it.”
—From the Analects of Confucius (551-579 B.C.) (論語), 13:3 (Zi Lu 子路)
子路曰：“衛君待子而為政，子將奚先？”子曰：“必也正名乎！”子路曰：“有是哉，子之迂也！奚其正？”子曰：“野哉由也！君子於其所不知，蓋闕如也。名不正，則言不順；言不順，則事不成；事不成，則禮樂不興；禮樂不興，則刑罰不中；刑罰不中，則民無所措手足。故君子名之必可言也，言之必可行也。君子於其言，無所苟而已矣。”