害群之马
害群之马 (hài qún zhī mǎ) literally means “harm herd's horse” and expresses “individual whose behavior harms entire group”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: hai qun zhi ma, hai qun zhi ma,害群之马 meaning, 害群之马 in english
Individual whose behavior harms entire group
Pronunciation: hài qún zhī mǎ Literal meaning: Harm herd's horse
Origin & Usage
Han Dynasty horse breeders first noted how a single problematic horse (马) could harm (害) an entire herd (群). Tang Dynasty administrators adopted it to describe how one disruptive official could damage entire departments. The agricultural observation proved universally applicable - groups dependent on coordination remain particularly vulnerable to individual disruptive elements.
When to Use
Situation: The employee's repeated violations damaged team morale and productivity
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 害群之马 mean in English?
害群之马 (hài qún zhī mǎ) literally translates to “Harm herd's horse” and is used to express “Individual whose behavior harms entire group”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 害群之马 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving individual whose behavior harms entire group.
What is the pinyin for 害群之马?
The pinyin pronunciation for 害群之马 is “hài qún zhī mǎ”.