越俎代庖

yuèzǔdàipáo
idiom #34,210

Meanings

  1. 1 to leave one's sacrificial table and take over the cook's job
  2. 2 to overstep one's role and meddle in another's responsibilities

Examples

Zhè shì xiāoshòu bù de gōngzuò, wǒmen bùbiàn yuèzǔdàipáo.
That's the sales department's job — it's not our place to step in and do it for them.
Fùmǔ bù yīng yuèzǔdàipáo, tì háizi zuò suǒyǒu juédìng.
Parents shouldn't overstep their bounds and make every decision for their children.

Tips

history
From《庄子·逍遥》: — even if the cook neglects the kitchen, the ritual officiant doesn't leave his sacrificial vessels to take over. Each role has its place.
usage
Strongly conveys 'crossing role boundaries.' Often used to politely decline doing someone else's job, or to criticize overreach by parents, bosses, or governments.

Stroke Order

yuè
dài
páo