📖 Meaning
To pass by one's own door without entering. It describes someone who is so devoted to their duties that they neglect personal matters, exemplifying selfless dedication to public service. The phrase originates from the legend of Yu the Great, who passed his home three times without stopping while working to control the floods.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Mencius (孟子·离娄下), written by Mencius during the Warring States period. It refers to the legendary figure Yu the Great (大禹), who was tasked with controlling the great floods in ancient China. According to the story, Yu was so dedicated to his flood-control work that he passed by his own home three times without entering to check on his family. Mencius cited this as a model of selfless public service. The phrase became a lasting symbol of devotion to duty over personal concerns.
💡 Example Usage
大禹治水十三年，三过家门过门不入，终平水患。
Yu the Great spent thirteen years taming the floods, passing his own door without entering three times, and ultimately brought the disaster under control.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 过门不入
- Pinyin: guò mén bù rù
- Literal Translation: pass, door, not, enter
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4