冒天下之大不韪

冒天下之大不韙

màotiānxiàzhīdàbùwěi

idiom #81,584

Meanings

1 to do what everyone in the world considers wrong; to flout universal condemnation
2 to brazenly defy public outrage

Characters

(classical possessive) of

Examples

他竟然冒天下之大不韪，公然撕毁合约。

Tā jìngrán màotiānxiàzhīdàbùwěi, gōngrán sīhuǐ héyuē.

He actually flouted universal condemnation by openly tearing up the contract.

发动侵略战争，就是冒天下之大不韪。

Fādòng qīnlüè zhànzhēng, jiùshì màotiānxiàzhīdàbùwěi.

Launching a war of aggression is to brazenly defy the conscience of the world.

Tips

history

Origin in 左传·隐公十一年: 犯五不韪而以伐人 - 'to commit the five wrongs and still attack others - no wonder he lost his army.' 韪 (wěi) means 'right' or 'proper.'

Stroke Order

冒 mào

天 tiān

下 xià

之 zhī

大 dà

不 bù

韪 wěi