勿以恶小而为之

勿以惡小而為之

Wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī

quotation

Meanings

1 do not do evil just because it is small
2 no wrong is too trivial to refuse

Characters

don't (classical)

because of / take as

and so (classical)

it (classical pronoun)

Examples

HSK 2

从小就要教育孩子勿以恶小而为之。

Cóngxiǎo jiù yào jiàoyù háizi wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī.

From an early age children should be taught not to do wrong, however small.

HSK 5

勿以恶小而为之，随手乱扔垃圾也是不文明行为。

Wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī, suíshǒu luàn rēng lājī yě shì bù wénmíng xíngwéi.

Don't commit even small wrongs - casually dropping litter is uncivilized too.

Tips

history

From the deathbed edict of Shu Han founder Liu Bei 刘备 to his son Liu Shan, recorded in 《三国志·蜀书·先主传》裴松之注: 勿以恶小而为之，勿以善小而不为 - 'Do no evil, however small; miss no good, however small.' A textbook Confucian statement on moral consistency.

usage

Almost always paired with 勿以善小而不为. Standard quotation in civic-education and anti-corruption campaigns.

Stroke Order

勿 wù

以 yǐ

恶 è

小 xiǎo

而 ér

为 wéi

之 zhī