📖 Meaning
To reform the greedy and correct the frivolous, guiding them toward integrity and uprightness. It refers to the transformative moral influence of exemplary sages whose virtue inspires others to abandon base desires and cultivate noble character.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from a commentary by the Song dynasty scholar Sun Shi (孙奭) on the Mencius (《孟子·尽心下》). The original Mencius passage praises Bo Yi and Liu Xiahui as sages who serve as teachers for a hundred generations. In his subcommentary, Sun Shi writes that these two sages 'changed the greedy and corrected the frivolous' (变贪厉薄), and that even a thousand years later, those who hear of them remain deeply moved by their example.
💡 Example Usage
先贤风范犹如百世之师，至今仍能变贪厉薄，感化人心。
The exemplary virtue of the ancient sages remains a teacher for the ages, still able to reform the greedy and correct the frivolous, moving people's hearts to this day.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 变贪厉薄
- Pinyin: biǎn tān lì bó
- Literal Translation: transform, greed, correct, frivolous
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4