qiān​rén​zhī​nuò​nuò​bù​rú​yī​shì​zhī'è'è

better to have one honest critic than a thousand yes-men

Senses

千人之诺诺,不如一士之谔谔/ 千人之諾諾,不如一士之諤諤 qiān​rén​zhī​nuò​nuò​bù​rú​yī​shì​zhī'è'è better to have one honest critic than a thousand yes-men

one person's honest and forthright criticism is more valuable than the mindless compliance of a thousand people; literally, the 'yes yes' of a thousand people is not as good as the 'honest speech' of one scholar

References

see 诺诺/諾諾 千人之诺诺,不如一士之谔谔/千人之諾諾,不如一士之諤諤