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铁打的衙门，流水的官

tiě dǎ de yá men , liú shuǐ de guān

Definitions

1. lit. the yamen is strong as iron, the officials flow like water (idiom)
2. fig. government officials come and go

Child Words of 铁打的衙门，流水的官

的

dì

(bound form) bull's-eye; target

铁打

tiě dǎ

made of iron

的

of; ~'s (possessive particle)

打的

dǎ dī

(coll.) to take a taxi

water

iron (metal)

to flow

gate

government office in feudal China

running water

to beat

see 的士[dī shì]

really and truly

dozen (loanword)

office

government official