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投鼠忌器
 
En
tóu shǔ jì qì
  • lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)
  • to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents

投鼠忌器 tóu shǔ jì qì

投鼠忌器
1 想掷打老鼠,却担心老鼠身旁的器物被击坏而不敢下手。语本《汉书.卷四八.贾谊传》:「里谚曰:『欲投鼠而忌器。』此善谕也。鼠近于器,尚惮不投,恐伤其器,况于贵臣之近主乎!」后比喻做事有所顾忌,不敢下手。《三国演义.第二○回》:「云长问玄德曰:『操贼欺君罔上,我欲杀之,为国除害,兄何止我?』玄德曰:『投鼠忌器』。」也作「投鼠之忌」、「掷鼠忌器」。

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