上梁不正下梁歪
Traditional form:
上梁不正下梁歪
Pinyin (reading):
shàngliángbùzhèngxiàliángwāi
Definitions:
- lit. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiom); fig. subordinates imitate their superiors' vices
Characters:
- 上 - above, on top, superior; to go up; to attend; previous
- 梁 - bridge; beam, rafter; surname
- 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
- 正 - straight, right, proper, correct, just, true
- 下 - below, underneath; inferior; to bring down; next
- 梁 - bridge; beam, rafter; surname
- 歪 - slanted, askew, awry
Traditional characters: