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举世皆浊我独清

舉世皆濁我獨清
jǔshìjiēzhuówǒdúqīng
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 the whole world is muddy; I alone am clear
  2. 2 (fig.) moral self-affirmation of the upright one amid widespread corruption
  3. 3 (lit.) raise-up-world all muddy, I alone clear

Examples

他总觉得举世皆浊我独清，其实也该反省自己。
Tā zǒng juéde jǔshì jiē zhuó wǒ dú qīng, qíshí yě gāi fǎnxǐng zìjǐ.
He always feels 'the whole world is muddy, I alone am clear' — but he ought to reflect on himself too.
屈原举世皆浊我独清的气节流传千古。
Qū Yuán jǔshì jiē zhuó wǒ dú qīng de qìjié liúchuán qiāngǔ.
Qu Yuan's integrity — 'the world is muddy, I alone am clear' — has been celebrated across the ages.

Tips

history
From 《楚辞·渔父》(Chu Ci, The Fisherman, attributed to 屈原 Qu Yuan, ca. 3rd c. BCE). Qu Yuan, exiled, meets a fisherman by the Xiang River who asks why he wanders so gaunt. Qu Yuan replies: 举世皆浊我独清，众人皆醉我独醒，是以见放 (The whole world is muddy, I alone am clear; all men are drunk, I alone am awake — that is why I have been cast out). The foundation myth of the unyielding upright official, central to every Dragon Boat Festival.
usage
Always paired with 众人皆醉我独醒 (all are drunk, I alone am awake). In modern Chinese the phrase can be used both sincerely (moral courage) and sarcastically (self-righteous isolation) — context decides.

Stroke Order

举 jǔ
世 shì
皆 jiē
浊 zhuó
我 wǒ
独 dú
清 qīng