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为五斗米折腰
wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhé yāo
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Definitions
- 1. (allusion to Tao Qian 陶潛|陶潜[táo qián], who used this phrase when he resigned from government service rather than show subservience to a visiting inspector) to bow and scrape for five pecks of rice (that being a part of his salary as a local magistrate)
- 2. (fig.) to compromise one's principles for the sake of a salary