📖 Meaning
A thief resents the very owner of the property he steals from. This idiom is a metaphor for wicked people hating upright, righteous people who oppose or expose them.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Zuo Zhuan (左传), a historical chronicle of the Spring and Autumn period, in the record of Duke Cheng's 15th year. The original passage reads: 'A thief hates the owner; the people resent their superiors. If you are fond of speaking bluntly, you will inevitably meet with disaster.' It was spoken as a warning to someone who valued forthright counsel, cautioning that honesty provokes the enmity of the wicked.
💡 Example Usage
他为人正直，却遭到小人陷害，这正是盗憎主人的写照。
He was an upright man yet was framed by petty people—this is a perfect illustration of how the wicked hate the righteous.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 盗憎主人
- Pinyin: dào zēng zhǔ rén
- Literal Translation: thief, hate, owner
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4