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Home / Idiom / 明哲保身

a wise man looks after his own hide (idiom) · to put one's own safety before matters of principle

明哲保身
míng zhé bǎo shēn
m+íng·2nd tonezh+é·2nd toneb+ǎo·3rd tonesh+ēn·1st tone
Idiom
Chain
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Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
clean-living and honest (idiom); to avoid immorality · to shun evil influence · to mind one's own business and keep out of trouble · to keep one's hands clean洁身自好jié shēn zì hàoselfish · selfishness自私zì sī(idiom) to have one's hands full managing one's own affairs · too busy to spare time for anything extra自顾不暇zì gù bù xiáresolutely retire at the height of one's official career · make a quick retreat before a crisis急流勇退jí liú yǒng tuìMr Goody-goody · yes-man (sb who agrees with anything)好好先生hǎo hǎo xiān sheng(idiom) (originally, in Mencius) to cultivate one's moral character in solitude; (modern sense) to look after only one's own interests独善其身dú shàn qí shēn
Antonyms
to wallow in the mire with sb (idiom); to follow the bad example of others同流合污tóng liú hé wū
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