約定俗成

From Xunzi:

名無固宜，約之以命，約定俗成謂之宜，異於約則謂之不宜。名無固實，約之以命實，約定俗成謂之實名。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]

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名无固宜，约之以命，约定俗成谓之宜，异于约则谓之不宜。名无固实，约之以命实，约定俗成谓之实名。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

Míng wú gù yí, yuē zhī yǐ mìng, yuē dìng sú chéng wèi zhī yí, yìyú yuē zé wèi zhī bùyí. Míng wú gù shí, yuē zhī yǐ mìng shí, yuēdìngsúchéng wèi zhī shímíng. [Pinyin]

Names have no intrinsic appropriateness. They are bound to something by agreement in order to name it. The agreement becomes fixed, the custom is established, and it is called “appropriate.” If a name differs from the agreed name, it is then called “inappropriate.” Names have no intrinsic object. They are bound to some reality by agreement in order to name that object. The agreement becomes fixed, the custom is established, and it becomes the name of that object.

約定俗成

1. conventional; customary; socially fixed; having an unwritten law

   元宵節賞花燈是約定俗成的習俗。 [MSC, trad.]
   元宵节赏花灯是约定俗成的习俗。 [MSC, simp.]

   Yuánxiāojié shǎng huādēng shì yuēdìngsúchéng de xísú. [Pinyin]

   It is customary to put up lanterns during the Lantern Festival.