为五斗米折腰
wèi​wǔ​dǒu​mǐ​zhé​yāo

to compromise one's principles for a salary

  1. 为 為 wèi preposition
    for
    for; because of; in order to; for the sake of; used to indicate the purpose or recipient of an action
  2. 五斗米 wǔ​dǒu​mǐ
    meager salary
    (literary) A small amount of grain or a meager salary; refers to the story of the poet 陶渊明 táo​yuān​míng who refused to bow to superiors for such a small reward
  3. 折腰 zhé​yāo
    to submit
    To humble oneself or stoop to serving others; to lose one's dignity for the sake of material gain or to please those in power.