爱毛反裘

Pronunciation: ài máo fǎn qiú Literal meaning: Love the fur, wear the coat inside out

Origin & Usage

Duke Wen of Wei met a man carrying hay with his fur coat turned inside out (反裘), and asked why. To protect the fur (爱毛), the man said. The duke pointed out that if the hide backing wore through, the fur would have nothing left to grow on. The phrase names that inversion — guarding the visible, valuable-looking part while destroying the thing it depends on — and it fits policy and management that protect appearances at the cost of the foundation.

Examples

English: "They cut maintenance to protect the marketing budget"

Chinese: 他们削减了维护开支，只为了保住营销预算