投鼠忌器
tóu shǔ jì qì
to hold back for fear of damaging something precious
Character by character
投tóu
throw
throw
鼠shǔ
rat
rat
忌jì
fear
fear
器qì
vessel
vessel
Example
他早就想批评那个员工，可对方是老板的亲戚，他难免投鼠忌器。
He had long wanted to take the employee to task, but the man was the boss’s relative, so he could hardly help holding back.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
A village proverb quoted by the Han statesman 贾谊 in a memorial preserved in the 《汉书》: you want to throw something at the rat but fear breaking the vessel beside it. Said of any action held back by its side effects: a central bank that fears hurting the banks if it cuts too hard is 投鼠忌器.
Learn this in Lesson 190 · HSK 7–9: 央行降息了 (The central bank cuts rates)
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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