瓜田不納履,李下不整冠 guā tián bù nà lǚ , lǐ xià bù zhěng guān

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. don't tie your shoelaces in a melon patch, and don't adjust your hat under a plum tree (idiom)
  2. fig. don't do anything that might arouse suspicion
  3. innocent acts may be misconstrued

CHARACTERS

瓜 guā melon, gourd, cucumber; rad. 97
田 tián field, arable land, cultivated
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
納 nà admit, take, receive, accept
履 lǚ footwear, shoes; walk on, tread
李 lǐ plum; judge; surname
下 xià under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
整 zhěng orderly, neat, tidy; whole
冠 guān cap, crown, headgear