📖 Meaning
This idiom describes laws and prohibitions that are too loose and lenient. It uses the metaphor of a fishing net with meshes so wide that even large offenders can slip through. It typically refers to a situation where the legal system fails to restrain wrongdoing due to excessive tolerance.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Han dynasty scholar Xun Yue's work 'Han Ji' (汉纪), in the 'Annals of Emperor Ai.' It describes how, when the Han dynasty was newly founded, its legal restrictions were sparse and broad, and wrongdoings were left uncorrected. The metaphor compares the law to a net—when the prohibitions are too loose, even a fish large enough to swallow a boat can escape. The phrase later appeared in the 'Sui Shu' preface to the 'Biographies of Cruel Officials,' criticizing the overcorrection from Qin's harshness to excessive leniency.
💡 Example Usage
汉初禁网疏阔，百姓得以休养生息。
In the early Han dynasty, laws were lax and lenient, allowing the common people to rest and recover.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 禁网疏阔
- Pinyin: jìn wǎng shū kuò
- Literal Translation: prohibition, net, sparse, broad
- Category: Power
- Characters: 4