和而不同

hé'érbùtóng
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 harmony without uniformity (idiom)
  2. 2 to get along well while holding different views
  3. 3 unity in diversity

Examples

Jūnzǐ hé ér bù tóng, xiǎorén tóng ér bù hé.
The gentleman harmonizes without conformity; the petty man conforms without harmony.
Tuánduì chéngyuán hé ér bù tóng, fǎn'ér jīfā le chuàngzàolì.
Team members get along despite differences, which actually sparks creativity.

Tips

history
From 《·》: 君子和而不同小人不和 — Confucius contrasts the gentleman, who seeks harmony without losing individuality, with the petty man, who forces outward agreement while harboring discord.
usage
Often cited in diplomacy, corporate culture, and discussions of pluralism. The point is not suppressing difference but coexisting with it — contrast with 附和 (blindly agreeing).

Stroke Order

ér
tóng