明哲保身

Chinese

		wise; sensible	to protect oneself
simp. and trad. (明哲保身)		明哲	保身

Etymology

From the Classic of Poetry:

既明且哲、以保其身。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.][▼ expand/hide]

From: The Classic of Poetry, circa 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

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: míngzhébǎoshēn
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄜˊ ㄅㄠˇ ㄕㄣ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mingjerbaoshen
  - Tongyong Pinyin: míngjhébǎoshen
  - IPA ^(key): /miŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵ pɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ʂən⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: ming⁴ zit³ bou² san¹
  - Yale: mìhng jit bóu sān
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ming⁴ dzit⁸ bou² san¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: ming⁴ jid³ bou² sen¹
  - IPA ^(key): /mɪŋ²¹ t͡siːt̚³ pou̯³⁵ sɐn⁵⁵/

Idiom

明哲保身

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

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