📖 Meaning
To advise a superior by presenting what is good and feasible while dissuading what is harmful or impractical. It refers to the act of offering constructive counsel — recommending beneficial policies while urging the abandonment of flawed ones. The idiom embodies the ideal of loyal and courageous remonstrance in governance.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the classical concept of remonstrance (谏诤) in ancient Chinese political culture, where loyal ministers were expected to advise the ruler with honesty and courage. The phrase "献可替否" first appeared in the Zuo Zhuan (左传), a foundational historical text of the Spring and Autumn period. It was later cited in the Book of Later Han (后汉书), where it described the duty of upright officials to present viable policies and eliminate harmful ones. Over time, the variant "献替可否" emerged as an equivalent expression, emphasizing the minister's role in guiding the sovereign toward sound governance.
💡 Example Usage
大臣们应当勇于献替可否，不负社稷之托。
Ministers should boldly offer what is sound and reject what is harmful, living up to the trust of the state.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 献替可否
- Pinyin: xiàn tì kě fǒu
- Literal Translation: offer, replace, feasible, not
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4