嚴復在翻譯《天演論》時所撰寫的〈譯例言〉中，雖然清楚表述了他的翻譯目的與策略：「題曰達恉。不云筆譯。取便發揮。實非正法」，表明他為了傳遞西方思想，採取的是一種與眾不同的翻譯策略。然而，因為他對譯事的謹慎態度，以及《天演論》為後世帶來的廣大影響，使得嚴復為翻譯本書而撰寫的翻譯序言〈譯例言〉逐漸成為華文世界中論述翻譯的經典之作，而其文中並未詳加定義的「譯事三難信達雅」，便隨著時代演進，逐漸增添諸多不同解讀及衍伸新詮，並進一步影響現代的翻譯論述，甚至是該文的英文翻譯。為了更深入理解嚴復的翻譯觀，本文擬採取互文閱讀與論述分析的方法，從各項社會與文化要件，探討「達」字在各家論述中產生的意義：包括嚴復的學術養成與翻譯信念，其傳承的儒學道統、及歷時的修辭論述。透過上述種種觀察，本研究旨在重新梳理後世針對「達」字的解讀與論爭、該字產生各種意義的流變軌跡、以及該字在英文翻譯中產生的歧異現象，期能有更清晰的視角，在翻譯論述與實作之間提出更具體的建議。
In his preface to the translation of Evolution and Ethics, Yan Fu (嚴復) clearly articulated his translation objective and strategy: "The title indicates the aim to 'convey the meaning' (dá zhǐ, 達恉), rather than to present a 'written translation' (bǐ yì, 筆譯). It seeks instead to facilitate exposition and elaboration—this is certainly not a conventional method." This statement reflects his deliberate departure from conventional translation practices in order to transmit Western thought to Chinese readers. However, due to both his meticulous approach to rendering and the significant influence of his translation of Evolution and Ethics, the succinct phrase "the three difficulties of translation: xìn (信), dá (達), and yǎ (雅)"—which Yan Fu never explicitly defined—has gradually become a cornerstone in the discourse on translation studies within the Chinese-speaking world. Over time, the triad "xìn (信), dá (達), and yǎ (雅)" has inspired various interpretations and reinterpretations, shaping modern translation theory and even influencing the English translations of Yan Fu's own writings. To gain a more nuanced understanding of Yan Fu's translation philosophy, this study adopts an intertextual and discursive analytical approach, focusing on examining the multiple contextual meanings of the word dá (達) through social and cultural lenses. These include Yan Fu's own intellectual formation and translational convictions, the Confucian rhetorical tradition he inherited, subsequent reinterpretations and debates over the triad, the diachronic evolution of the word dá's (達) semantic field, and the divergence observed in its English renderings. Through this multi-contextual analysis, the study aims to offer a clearer perspective on Yan Fu's concept of dá and to propose more grounded insights for bridging translation theory and practice.