为五斗米折腰
Traditional form:
為五斗米折腰
Pinyin (reading):
wèiwǔdǒumǐzhéyāo
Definitions:
- (allusion to Tao Qian 陶潛／陶潜 ( Táo Qián), who used this phrase when he resigned from government service rather than show subservience to a visiting inspector) to bow and scrape for five pecks of rice (that being a part of his salary as a local magistrate)
- (fig.) to compromise one's principles for the sake of a salary
Characters:
- 为 - to do, to act; to handle, to govern; to be
- 五 - five; surname
- 斗 - to struggle, to fight, to contend; measuring cup
- 米 - rice, millet, grain
- 折 - to break, to snap; to fold, to bend; to bow; humble
- 腰 - waist, lower back; middle; pocket
Traditional characters: