📖 Meaning
A metaphor describing a person of noble moral character who remains pure and uncorrupted despite being immersed in a foul or corrupt environment. It emphasizes inner integrity that cannot be stained by external filth.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Ming Dynasty official and statesman Zhang Juzheng (张居正), in his preface to 'Seven Sages Ode' (《七贤咏》序). He wrote: 'Like a cicada shedding its skin amidst filth, pure and unstained by the mire' (蝉蜕于粪溷之中，皭然涅而不淄者也). The phrase praises those who maintain their moral clarity and integrity even when surrounded by corruption and degradation. It is a variant of the more common form 涅而不缁, using the character 淄 in place of 缁.
💡 Example Usage
他身处官场多年，却始终涅而不淄，令人敬佩。
Having spent years in officialdom, he remained completely unstained by corruption, earning deep admiration.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 涅而不淄
- Pinyin: niè ér bù zī
- Literal Translation: dyed, yet, not, blackened
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4