📖 Meaning
To tolerate dirt and conceal flaws. It describes a magnanimous and forgiving attitude, willing to overlook others' shortcomings and faults rather than being harshly critical. The idiom praises broad-mindedness and the capacity to accept imperfections.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Zuo Zhuan (《左传》), a Spring and Autumn period historical chronicle, specifically from the record of the 15th year of Duke Xuan of Lu (6th century BCE). The original text reads '瑾瑜匿瑕，国君含垢' — meaning that even fine jade conceals its blemishes, and so a ruler of a state should bear with dirt and imperfections. The sentiment was that a wise and virtuous ruler must tolerate the shortcomings of his ministers and subjects rather than being excessively severe. The four-character form 含垢匿瑕 was later distilled from this passage and came to describe the virtue of magnanimous tolerance in general.
💡 Example Usage
他性情宽厚，含垢匿瑕，从不计较同事的小过失。
He is generous by nature, tolerating others' flaws and never holding his colleagues' minor mistakes against them.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 含垢匿瑕
- Pinyin: hán gòu nì xiá
- Literal Translation: bear, dirt, conceal, flaws
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4