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贫贱不能移

貧賤不能移
pínjiànbùnéngyí
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 not shaken by poverty — keeping one's principles and ambitions even in humble circumstances
  2. 2 literally: poverty and lowliness cannot move (one)

Examples

他家境贫寒，但贫贱不能移，坚持完成学业。
Tā jiājìng pínhán, dàn pínjiàn bù néng yí, jiānchí wánchéng xuéyè.
His family was poor, but poverty could not shake him — he persevered and finished his studies.
真正的风骨是富贵不能淫、贫贱不能移、威武不能屈。
Zhēnzhèng de fēnggǔ shì fùguì bù néng yín, pínjiàn bù néng yí, wēiwǔ bù néng qū.
True backbone is: uncorrupted by wealth, unshaken by poverty, unbent by force.

Tips

history
From 《孟子·滕文公下》 (Mencius, Duke Teng Wen II). Mencius' definition of the 大丈夫 (great person): 富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈 — '(One who is) not corrupted by wealth and status, not moved by poverty and humble station, not bent by force and power'. The middle term of the triad — the test of hardship.
usage
Part of the canonical Mencian triad — see also 富贵不能淫 and 威武不能屈. Used in praise of people who stay on course through financial or social hardship; common in biography, tribute writing, and educational contexts.

Stroke Order

贫 pín
贱 jiàn
不 bù
能 néng
移 yí