置之度外

zhìzhī-dùwài

idiom #36,164

Meanings

1 to give no thought to
2 to disregard
3 to put out of one's mind
4 to set aside (concerns)

Characters

(literary object pronoun)

measure, consideration

Examples

他把个人安危置之度外，冲进火场救人。

Tā bǎ gèrén ānwēi zhìzhī-dùwài, chōng jìn huǒchǎng jiùrén.

Disregarding his own safety, he rushed into the fire to save people.

为了科研，她把名利置之度外。

Wèile kēyán, tā bǎ mínglì zhìzhī-dùwài.

For the sake of research, she set aside fame and fortune.

Tips

history

From the 《后汉书·隗嚣公孙述列传》: 且当置此两子于度外耳 - Emperor Guangwu of Han, after pacifying the central plain, declared that he would 'set these two [warlords] outside his measure of concern' for now. Originally 'beyond reckoning'; today usually applied to setting aside personal safety, fame, or self-interest.

usage

Pattern: 把 X 置之度外 - 'set X aside.' X is typically 生死 (life and death), 个人安危 (personal safety), 名利 (fame and fortune). Praises self-sacrifice.

Stroke Order

置 zhì

之 zhī

度 dù

外 wài