| 釋義 |
不為五斗米折腰bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhé yāonotmake (/bob/drop) curtsies for the salary of five bushels of rice—sick of official life; not bend the back(/bow low) for five dou of rice; not stoop for half a picul of rice
? 寧可餓死，也不能為五斗米折腰。(楊沫《青春之歌》41) I would rather starve than bow low for five dou of rice. 〔Five dou of rice,the equivalent of five pecks,was the salary of a small official in ancient China. The reference is to Tao Yuanming,a Jin Dynasty poet (365—427) who preferred to live simply on his farm rather than submit to the authorities.〕/陶淵明～，咱卻為了一百斤糧食受盡了李昌的氣，嗯！ (丁玲《太陽照在桑干河上》21) Tao Yuanming would not stoop for half a picul of rice,but for one hundred catties of grain I have to put up with Freckles Li’s insolence. Ugh! 不為五斗米折腰bu wei wu dou mi zhe yaorefuse to hold a petty office for a paltry salary 不為五斗米折腰bu wei wu dou mi zhe yaorefuse to hold a petty office for a paltry salary 不為五斗米折腰bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhé yāo五斗米：指微薄的官俸。 比喻為人清高，有骨氣。can’t make curtsies for the salary of five bushels of rice |