📖 Meaning
To deceive the monarch and bring ruin to the nation. The idiom describes treacherous officials who mislead the ruler and cause national disaster. It is used as a grave condemnation of political betrayal and corruption at the highest level.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Ming dynasty play "Mingzhu Ji" (明珠记) by the playwright Lu Cai (陆采), specifically in the scene titled "Jianmou" (奸谋, "Treasonous Plot"). In the scene, the villain Liu Zhen is described as domineering and ruthless; he had previously impeached the speaker on the charge of "deceiving the sovereign and harming the state," demanding that the offender be beheaded and the severed head publicly displayed. The phrase thus entered the literary lexicon as a severe accusation of political treachery.
💡 Example Usage
历史上不少奸臣欺君误国，最终落得身败名裂的下场。
Throughout history, many treacherous officials deceived the sovereign and harmed the state, ultimately ending in total disgrace and ruin.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 欺君误国
- Pinyin: qī jūn wù guó
- Literal Translation: deceive the sovereign, harm the country
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4