📖 Meaning
A metaphor for the subtle, transformative influence of one's environment on character. Just as entering a room of orchids makes one stop noticing the fragrance, or a fish market makes one stop noticing the stench, prolonged association with good or bad company gradually changes a person without their awareness.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom derives from a passage in the Kongzi Jiayu (《孔子家语·六本》), a text attributed to followers of Confucius. Confucius teaches that associating with virtuous people is like entering a room of fragrant orchids — after a while one no longer notices the scent, having been transformed by it. Conversely, associating with the wicked is like entering a shop selling salted fish — after a while one no longer notices the stench, having likewise been transformed. The phrase '迁兰变鲍' compresses this teaching into four characters: moving among orchids, changing into abalone.
💡 Example Usage
长期与贤者为伍，迁兰变鲍，其品行自然高洁。
By keeping the company of the virtuous over a long period, one is subtly transformed for the better, and one's character naturally becomes noble.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 迁兰变鲍
- Pinyin: qiān lán biàn bào
- Literal Translation: move orchid, change abalone
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4