适可而止

適可而止

shìkě'érzhǐ

idiom #15,157

Meanings

喝酒要适可而止。

Hējiǔ yào shìkě'érzhǐ.

You should know when to stop drinking.

开玩笑适可而止，别太过分了。

Kāiwánxiào shìkě'érzhǐ, bié tàiguòfèn le.

Joke around in moderation, don't go too far.

usage

Often used as advice or a warning to someone who is overdoing something. Can follow 要 (yào) as a suggestion or stand alone as a comment.

grammar

This is a four-character idiom (成语) typically used as a predicate or adverbial. It cannot take an object.

适 shì

可 kě

而 ér

止 zhǐ