投鼠忌器 tóu shǔ jì qì

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)
  2. to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents

CHARACTERS

投 tóu
HSK 5
throw, cast, fling, pitch; jump
鼠 shǔ
HSK 5
rat, mouse; KangXi radical 208
忌 jì
HSK 6
jealous, envious; fear
器 qì
HSK 5
receptacle, vessel; instrument