投鼠忌器
tóu shǔ jì qì
Pinyin

Definition

投鼠忌器
 - 
tóu shǔ jì qì
  1. lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)
  2. to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents

Character Decomposition

Related Words (20)

bīng qì
  1. 1 weaponry
  2. 2 weapons
  3. 3 arms
tóu piào
  1. 1 to vote
  2. 2 vote
wǔ tǐ tóu dì
  1. 1 to prostrate oneself in admiration (idiom); to adulate sb
cāng shǔ
  1. 1 hamster
yí qì
  1. 1 instrument
  2. 2 apparatus
  3. 3 CL:臺|台[tái]
chōng diàn qì
  1. 1 battery charger
qiè jì
  1. 1 to avoid as taboo
  2. 2 to avoid by all means
lì qì
  1. 1 sharp weapon
  2. 2 effective implement
  3. 3 outstandingly able individual
jiā shī qì
  1. 1 humidifier
xī chén qì
  1. 1 vacuum cleaner
  2. 2 dust catcher
  1. 1 device
  2. 2 tool
  3. 3 utensil
  4. 4 CL:臺|台[tái]
qì guān
  1. 1 organ (part of body tissue)
  2. 2 apparatus
qì cái
  1. 1 equipment
  2. 2 material
qì xiè
  1. 1 apparatus
  2. 2 instrument
  3. 3 equipment
  4. 4 weapon
dà qì
  1. 1 very capable person
  2. 2 precious object
dù jì
  1. 1 to be jealous of (sb's achievements etc)
  2. 2 to be envious
  3. 3 envy
wēi shì jì
  1. 1 whiskey (loanword)
róng qì
  1. 1 receptacle
  2. 2 vessel
  3. 3 (computing) container
xiǎo shǔ
  1. 1 mouse
jì kǒu
  1. 1 abstain from certain food (as when ill)
  2. 2 avoid certain foods
  3. 3 be on a diet

Idioms (20)

一粒老鼠屎坏了一锅粥
yī lì lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō zhōu
  1. 1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of congee (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
一颗老鼠屎坏了一锅汤
yī kē lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō tāng
  1. 1 lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of soup (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch
不打不成器
bù dǎ bù chéng qì
  1. 1 spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)
五体投地
wǔ tǐ tóu dì
  1. 1 to prostrate oneself in admiration (idiom); to adulate sb
外宽内忌
wài kuān nèi jì
  1. 1 magnanimous on the outside, but hateful on the inside (idiom)
大器晚成
dà qì wǎn chéng
  1. 1 lit. it takes a long time to make a big pot (idiom); fig. a great talent matures slowly
  2. 2 in the fullness of time a major figure will develop into a pillar of the state
  3. 3 Rome wasn't built in a day
妒贤忌能
dù xián jì néng
  1. 1 to envy the virtuous and talented (idiom)
工欲善其事,必先利其器
gōng yù shàn qí shì , bì xiān lì qí qì
  1. 1 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools (idiom). Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
情投意合
qíng tóu yì hé
  1. 1 to have an affinity with each other (idiom)
  2. 2 to find each other congenial
投井下石
tóu jǐng xià shí
  1. 1 to throw stones at sb who fell down a well (idiom); to hit a person who is down
投桃报李
tóu táo bào lǐ
  1. 1 toss a peach, get back a plum (idiom); to return a favor
  2. 2 to exchange gifts
  3. 3 Scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours.
投机倒把
tóu jī dǎo bǎ
  1. 1 speculation and profiteering (idiom); buying and selling on speculation
投石问路
tóu shí wèn lù
  1. 1 lit. to toss a stone to find out what's ahead (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. to test the waters
投笔从戎
tóu bǐ cóng róng
  1. 1 to lay down the pen and take up the sword (idiom)
  2. 2 to join the military (esp. of educated person)
投缳自缢
tóu huán zì yì
  1. 1 to hang oneself (idiom)
投袂而起
tóu mèi ér qǐ
  1. 1 lit. to shake one's sleeves and rise (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. to get excited and move to action
投鞭断流
tóu biān duàn liú
  1. 1 arms enough to stem the stream (idiom); formidable army
投鼠忌器
tóu shǔ jì qì
  1. 1 lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)
  2. 2 to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents
抱头鼠窜
bào tóu shǔ cuàn
  1. 1 to cover one's head and sneak away like a rat (idiom); to flee ignominiously
抱头鼠蹿
bào tóu shǔ cuān
  1. 1 to cover one's head and sneak away like a rat (idiom); to flee ignominiously
  2. 2 also written 抱頭鼠竄|抱头鼠窜

Sample Sentences