📖 Meaning
To judge a person's intelligence or capability based solely on their eloquence and speaking ability. It warns against the fallacy of equating a glib tongue with true wisdom or competence. The idiom is synonymous with 以言取人.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from 'Kongzi Jiayu' (The School Sayings of Confucius), in the chapter 'Zilu's First Meeting.' The disciple Zai Wo was known for his polished and refined rhetoric, yet his wisdom did not match the depth of his eloquence. Confucius observed this and cautioned, 'If one judges people by their speech alone, one will be mistaken about Zai Wo.' The saying thus encapsulates a lesson from Confucius himself on the dangers of superficial assessment.
💡 Example Usage
领导者不能以辞取人，实干比口才更重要。
A leader must not judge people by their eloquence alone—solid execution matters more than a silver tongue.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 以辞取人
- Pinyin: yǐ cí qǔ rén
- Literal Translation: by, speech, judge, person
- Category: Wisdom
- Characters: 4