📖 Meaning
This idiom expresses that one handles matters with extreme fairness and impartiality, like a scale that weighs everything accurately without favoritism. It conveys a commitment to judging situations on their merits rather than being swayed by personal bias or external pressure.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from Zhuge Liang's miscellaneous writings (《杂言》), as preserved in the Tang-era compilation 《冯堂书钞》 (Book 37). Zhuge Liang, the renowned strategist and statesman of the Three Kingdoms period, declared that his heart was like a scale — unable to make things heavy or light for anyone. The statement affirmed his dedication to impartial governance, refusing to bend justice for personal connections or political convenience.
💡 Example Usage
身为法官，他时刻以我心如秤自勉，公正裁决每一桩案件。
As a judge, he constantly urged himself to keep his heart like a scale, adjudicating every case with strict impartiality.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 我心如秤
- Pinyin: wǒ xīn rú chèng
- Literal Translation: my, heart, like, scale
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4