掷鼠忌器
zhì​shǔ​jì​qì

to hesitate for fear of collateral damage

  • created reference approved 掷鼠忌器/擲鼠忌器 → 投鼠忌器 (same_as) — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    掷鼠忌器 / 擲鼠忌器 zhì​shǔ​jì​qì

    投鼠忌器 tóu​shǔ​jì​qì

    same_as

    Changed: source (simp), source (trad), source pinyin, target (simp), target (trad), target pinyin, type

    created reference

  • created sense approved 掷鼠忌器/擲鼠忌器 · zhì​shǔ​jì​qì · to hesitate for fear of collateral damage — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    掷鼠忌器 / 擲鼠忌器

    zhì​shǔ​jì​qì

    to hesitate for fear of collateral damage

    To hold back from taking action against a wrongdoer (such as a corrupt official) for fear of harming an innocent party (such as the emperor) or damaging something valuable; to have scruples about an action because of its potential repercussions

    zhí​shǔ​jì​qì

    掷 (literal) → 掷/擲 · zhì · to throw 鼠 (literal) → 鼠 · shǔ · rat 忌 (literal) → 忌 · jì · to fear 器 (literal) → 器 · qì · utensil

    Changed: simplified, traditional, gloss, definition, pinyin, variant pinyin, variants, separable parts, decomposition

    created sense