投鼠忌器 in English tou2 shu3 ji4 qi4 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiomatic expression)
  • to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents

Simplified Characters

Traditional Characters

Pinyin

tou2 shu3 ji4 qi4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

tou2to cast shu3rat ji4to be jealous of qi4device