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