打狗還得看主人 dǎ gǒu hái děi kàn zhǔ rén

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. when one beats a dog, one must answer to its master (idiom)
  2. fig. before punishing sb, one should consider how that would affect others associated with him

CHARACTERS

打 dǎ
HSK 1
strike, hit, beat; fight; attack
狗 gǒu
HSK 1
dog, canis familiaris
還 hái still, yet, also, besides
得 děi
HSK 2
obtain, get, gain, acquire
看 kàn
HSK 1
look, see; examine, scrutinize
主 zhǔ
HSK 3
master, chief owner; host; lord
人 rén
HSK 1
man; people; mankind; someone else