越俎代庖
yuè zǔ dài páo
to overstep one’s role and do another’s job
Character by character
越yuè
overstep
overstep
俎zǔ
altar stand
altar stand
代dài
replace
replace
庖páo
cook
cook
Example
这是你们部门的事，我不好越俎代庖，你们自己决定吧。
This is your department’s business; it is not my place to step in, so decide for yourselves.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
From 《逍遥游》: the hermit 许由 refuses the throne, saying that even if the cook neglects the kitchen, the priest does not step over the altar vessels to take his place. Formal; often in polite refusals: 我不便越俎代庖.
Learn this in Lesson 231 · HSK 9+: 庄子 (Zhuangzi, the laughing philosopher)
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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