yī​lì​lǎo​shǔ​shǐ​huài​le​yī​guō​zhōu

one bad apple spoils the bunch

  1. numeral
    one
    one; the number 1; single; alone
  2. measure word
    [for small round things]
    Used for grain-like or small round objects such as seeds, pearls, pills, or bullets; in Taiwan, also used for larger round objects like watermelons.
  3. mouse
    mouse; rat
  4. stool
    excrement; feces; dung; droppings
  5. huài verbadjective
    to go bad
    to spoil; to go bad; to break down or become non-functional
  6. le particle
    [aspect marker]
    Placed after a verb or adjective to indicate the completion of an action or a change in state.
  7. a complete mess
    (literal) a pot of porridge; (figurative) a situation that is chaotic, in a muddle, or a complete mess