小人得志

xiǎoréndézhì

idiom

Meanings

1 a base person comes into power and grows insufferable
2 petty people in positions of authority

Characters

Examples

他一升职就趾高气扬，真是小人得志。

Tā yì shēngzhí jiù zhǐgāoqìyáng, zhēn shì xiǎoréndézhì.

The moment he was promoted he became arrogant — a true case of a petty man in power.

公司里小人得志的现象让大家心寒。

Gōngsī lǐ xiǎoréndézhì de xiànxiàng ràng dàjiā xīnhán.

The phenomenon of petty people getting power at this company has chilled everyone's hearts.

Tips

history

From a Liu-Song dynasty (5th c.) memorial by 何承天 (Hé Chéngtiān): 若使小人得志，君子道消 ('if petty men come into power, the way of the gentleman fades'). The phrase pairs the Confucian opposition between 君子 (jūnzǐ, 'noble person') and 小人 (xiǎorén, 'petty person').

register

Strongly negative — used to condemn someone newly elevated who acts arrogant or vindictive. Usually said about, not to, the person.

Stroke Order

小 xiǎo

人 rén

得 dé

志 zhì