害人之心不可有，防人之心不可無 hài rén zhī xīn bù kě yǒu ， fáng rén zhī xīn bù kě wú

DEFINITIONS

  1. refrain from hurting others, yet guard against those trying to hurt you (proverb)

CHARACTERS

害 hài
HSK 3
injure, harm; destroy, kill
人 rén
HSK 1
man; people; mankind; someone else
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
心 xīn
HSK 3
heart; mind, intelligence; soul
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
可 kě
HSK 2
may, can, -able; possibly
有 yǒu
HSK 1
have, own, possess; exist
防 fáng
HSK 5
defend; prevent; embankment
人 rén
HSK 1
man; people; mankind; someone else
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
心 xīn
HSK 3
heart; mind, intelligence; soul
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
可 kě
HSK 2
may, can, -able; possibly
無 wú negative, no, not; lack, have no