当官不为民做主不如回家卖红薯

Traditional form:

當官不為民做主不如回家賣紅薯

Pinyin (reading):

dāngguānbùwèimínzuòzhǔbùrúhuíjiāmàihóngshǔ

Definitions:

• if an official does not put the people first, he might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes

Characters:

• 当 - appropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bells
• 官 - official, public servant
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 为 - to do, to act; to handle, to govern; to be
• 民 - citizens, subjects; a nation's people
• 做 - to work, to make; to act
• 主 - to own; to host; master; host; lord
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 如 - as, as if, like, such as, supposing
• 回 - to return, to turn around; a time
• 家 - house, home, residence; family
• 卖 - to sell; to betray; to show off
• 红 - red, vermillion; to blush, to flush; popular
• 薯 - yam, tuber, potato

Traditional characters:

• 當 - appropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bells
• 官 - official, public servant
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 為 - to do, to act; to handle, to govern; to be
• 民 - citizens, subjects; a nation's people
• 做 - to work, to make; to act
• 主 - to own; to host; master; host; lord
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 如 - as, as if, like, such as, supposing
• 回 - to return, to turn around; a time
• 家 - house, home, residence; family
• 賣 - to sell; to betray; to show off
• 紅 - red, vermillion; to blush, to flush; popular
• 薯 - yam, tuber, potato