📖 Meaning
Zhì (彘) means pig. Literally 'not even comparable to dogs and pigs.' It describes a person whose moral conduct is so base and despicable that they are inferior even to dogs and pigs.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the work 'Xunzi: On Honor and Disgrace' (《荀子·荣辱》) by the Warring States period Confucian philosopher Xunzi (c. 313–238 BCE). Xunzi argued that a person who forgets their own well-being, neglects their parents, and disregards their sovereign is someone who is not even comparable to dogs and pigs. The phrase became a harsh condemnation of those lacking basic morality and human decency.
💡 Example Usage
那些狗彘不若的贪官污吏，终将受到法律的严惩。
Those corrupt officials who are worse than dogs and pigs will ultimately face severe punishment under the law.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 狗彘不若
- Pinyin: gǒu zhì bù ruò
- Literal Translation: dog, pig, not, comparable to
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4