上行下效

shàngxíng-xiàxiào

idiom

Meanings

HSK 7-9

领导贪污，上行下效，整个部门风气都坏了。

Lǐngdǎo tānwū, shàngxíng-xiàxiào, zhěnggè bùmén fēngqì dōu huài le.

When the leaders are corrupt, those below follow suit, and the whole department's culture goes bad.

HSK 7-9

父母要以身作则，因为孩子总是上行下效。

Fùmǔ yào yǐshēn-zuòzé, yīnwèi háizi zǒngshì shàngxíng-xiàxiào.

Parents must lead by example, because children always imitate what those above them do.

history

From 《白虎通·三教》 by Han dynasty scholar Ban Gu (班固): 教者，效也，上为之，下效之 - 'To teach is to imitate; what those above do, those below copy.'

usage

Usually negative or warning in tone, describes how bad behavior at the top spreads downward. Less often used for good examples.

上 shàng

行 xíng

下 xià

效 xiào