一顆老鼠屎壞了一鍋湯 yī kē lǎo shǔ shǐ huài le yī guō tāng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. a piece of rat feces spoiled the whole pot of soup (idiom)
  2. fig. one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch

CHARACTERS

一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
顆 kē grain, kernel
老 lǎo
HSK 1
old, aged; experienced
鼠 shǔ
HSK 5
rat, mouse; KangXi radical 208
屎 shǐ excrement, shit, dung
壞 huài bad, spoil(ed), ruin, destroy
了 le
HSK 1
to finish; particle of completed action
一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
鍋 guō cooking-pot, saucepan
湯 tāng hot water; soup, gravy, broth