📖 Meaning
The situation or opinions of those below can reach those above. It describes the smooth flow of information from subordinates or the common people to their superiors or leaders. This ensures that those in power understand the real conditions and needs of the populace.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Spring and Autumn period text "Guanzi" (《管子》), in the chapter titled "Mingfa" (明法, "On Clarifying the Law"), attributed to the statesman Guan Zhong (管仲), prime minister of the state of Qi. The original passage reads, "When the situation below cannot reach above, it is called obstruction" (下情不上通，谓之塞). The phrase was later condensed into the four-character idiom 下情上达, emphasizing that effective governance depends on unobstructed communication channels between rulers and the ruled.
💡 Example Usage
只有做到下情上达，才能制定出符合民意的政策。
Only when the voices of the people can reach those in power can policies that reflect public opinion be formulated.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 下情上达
- Pinyin: xià qíng shàng dá
- Literal Translation: below, situation, upward, reach
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4