📖 Meaning
To hide others' faults and shortcomings while praising their virtues and good deeds. It reflects a generous and tolerant attitude toward people, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the positive rather than dwelling on the negative. The phrase embodies the Confucian ideal of benevolence in interpersonal relations.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Han dynasty scholar Ban Gu's work 'Bai Hu Tong' (白虎通), specifically in the chapter on posthumous titles (谥). According to the text, when a Son of Heaven passed away, ministers would gather at the southern suburb to confer a posthumous title. This was because, as subjects, their duty was to honor their lord by concealing his faults and extolling his virtues. The concept reflects the ancient Chinese ethical principle that a loyal minister should speak well of his ruler and avoid publicizing any misdeeds.
💡 Example Usage
他为人宽厚，一向掩恶扬善，从不在背后议论别人的过失。
He is generous by nature and always conceals others' faults while praising their virtues, never gossiping about people's shortcomings behind their backs.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 掩恶扬善
- Pinyin: yǎn è yáng shàn
- Literal Translation: conceal, evil, praise, good
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4