泥沙俱下
ní shā jù xià
the good and the bad swept along together
Character by character
泥ní
mud
mud
沙shā
sand
sand
俱jù
together
together
下xià
go down
go down
Example
短视频行业发展太快,难免泥沙俱下,好作品和庸俗的内容混在一起。
The short-video business has grown so fast that the bad has inevitably come in with the good, and fine work sits side by side with vulgar stuff.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
The picture is a flood carrying mud and sand down with the water. Used of a boom, a market or a movement that grows so fast that the bad pours in with the good, often 难免泥沙俱下. Close to 鱼龙混杂 (lesson 3-11), which describes the mixture itself; 泥沙俱下 stresses the rush that brings it in.
Learn this in Lesson 188 · HSK 7–9: P2P的兴衰 (The rise and fall of P2P lending)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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