明哲保身

Chinese

		wise; sensible; enlightened	to protect oneself; A combination in the Lingqijing.
trad. (明哲保身)		明哲	保身
simp. #(明哲保身)		明哲	保身

Etymology

From the Classic of Poetry:

既明且哲、以保其身。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Jì míng qiě zhé, yǐ bǎo qí shēn. [Pinyin]

Intelligent is he and wise, Protecting his own person.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): míngzhébǎoshēn

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄜˊ ㄅㄠˇ ㄕㄣ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ming⁴ zit³ bou² san¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: míngzhébǎoshēn
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄜˊ ㄅㄠˇ ㄕㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: míngjhébǎoshen
    • Wade–Giles: ming²-chê²-pao³-shên¹
    • Yale: míng-jé-bǎu-shēn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mingjerbaoshen
    • Palladius: минчжэбаошэнь (minčžɛbaošɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵ pɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂən⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: ming⁴ zit³ bou² san¹
    • Yale: mìhng jit bóu sān
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ming⁴ dzit⁸ bou² san¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: ming⁴ jid³ bou² sen¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɪŋ²¹ t͡siːt̚³ pou̯³⁵ sɐn⁵⁵/

Idiom

(deprecated template usage) 明哲保身

1. to stay away from conflicts or give up adhering to principals to play safe and protect oneself from trouble or danger