薰莸不同器

薰蕕不同器

xūnyóubùtóngqì

idiom

Meanings

1 fragrant herbs and foul herbs do not go in the same vessel
2 (figurative) good people and bad people cannot live together

Characters

a foul-smelling herb

vessel; container

Examples

HSK 5

他坚持薰莸不同器的原则，拒绝和那帮人合作。

Tā jiānchí xūnyóubùtóngqì de yuánzé, jùjué hé nà bāng rén hézuò.

He stood by the principle that good and bad don't mix, and refused to work with that crowd.

HSK 7-9

薰莸不同器，正派人不愿和奸邪小人共事。

Xūnyóubùtóngqì, zhèngpàirén bú yuàn hé jiān xié xiǎorén gòngshì.

Fragrant and foul herbs don't share a vessel - upright people don't want to work alongside the wicked.

Tips

history

From 《孔子家语·观思》: 薰莸不同器而藏，尧桀不共国而治，以其类异也 - "fragrant and foul herbs are not stored in the same jar; Yao and Jie do not rule the same kingdom - because their kinds differ." 薰 = fragrant herb; 莸 = a foul-smelling weed. Used to insist on moral separation.

Stroke Order

薰 xūn

莸 yóu

不 bù

同 tóng

器 qì