安分守己

ānfèn-shǒujǐ
idiom #23,697

Meanings

  1. 1 to know one's place
  2. 2 to be law-abiding and content with one's lot
  3. 3 to not overstep one's bounds

Examples

HSK 6
Tā chūyù hòu ānfèn-shǒujǐ, nǔlì chóngjiàn shēnghuó.
After his release from prison, he kept to the straight and narrow and worked hard to rebuild his life.
HSK 7-9
Zuòrén yào ānfèn-shǒujǐ, bùyào tāntú bù shǔyú zìjǐ de dōngxi.
In life, one should know their place and not covet things that don't belong to them.

Tips

usage
安分守己 can be positive (law-abiding, modest) or slightly negative depending on context - in some uses it implies passive acceptance of one's station in life. It is sometimes used to advise someone to stop causing trouble.

Stroke Order

ān
fēn
shǒu