上梁不正下梁歪 shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi

Bad leaders make bad followers

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 47988th word

Definitions

  1. 1. lit. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiom); fig. subordinates imitate their superiors' vices

Characters

Character Meaning
to go up; on top; above
beam (structure); roof beam; bridge
not; no; (negative prefix)
exactly; just (at that time); right (in that place)
down; below; to go down
beam (structure); roof beam; bridge
askew; at a crooked angle; (coll.) to lie on one's side