投鼠忌器 tóu shǔ jì qì

dare not punish evil for fear of harming others

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

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

Characters

Character Meaning
投 tóu HSK 5
to send; to cast; to throw oneself (into the river etc)
鼠 shǔ HSK 5
mouse; rat
忌 jì HSK 6
to avoid or abstain from; scruple; fear
器 qì HSK 5
device; tool; utensil