洁身自好

潔身自好
jiéshēn-zìhào
idiom #36,449

Meanings

  1. 1 to keep oneself clean and pure
  2. 2 to preserve one's integrity
  3. 3 to stay out of trouble and avoid bad influences

Examples

HSK 5
Zài fùzá de huánjìng lǐ, tā shǐzhōng jiéshēnzìhào.
In a complicated environment, he has always kept himself clean and honest.
HSK 7-9
Miànduì yòuhuò, yào dǒngde jiéshēnzìhào.
In the face of temptation, you have to know how to keep your integrity.

Tips

history
From 《孟子·万章》: "而已" - 'he simply returned and kept himself pure.' Mencius on principled officials who retreated rather than compromise. Later reshaped as 洁身自好.
mistakes
here is 4th tone (hào, "to love; to prize"), not 3rd tone (hǎo, "good"). The idiom means "to prize keeping oneself clean," not "to be good oneself."

Stroke Order

jié
shēn
hǎo