倒行逆施
倒行逆施 (dào xíng nì shī) literally means “go against the way, act against the order” and expresses “defy norms”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: dao xing ni shi, dao xing ni shi,倒行逆施 meaning, 倒行逆施 in english
Defy norms
Pronunciation: dào xíng nì shī Literal meaning: Go against the way, act against the order
Origin & Usage
Wu Zixu, whose father and brother King Ping of Chu had executed, returned with a foreign army, found the king already dead, and had the corpse taken from its tomb and whipped. Reproached for it by an old friend, he answered in the words the Records of the Grand Historian preserves: my day is late and my road is long, and so I go against the way (倒行) and act against the order of things (逆施). It is a confession, not a defence. The phrase is used for conduct that inverts every accepted norm, and it is severe.
Examples
English: "His reckless decisions led to chaos in the organization."
Chinese: 他的鲁莽决定导致了组织的混乱。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
逆水行舟
nì shuǐ xíng zhōu
Progress needs constant effort
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本末倒置
běn mò dào zhì
Prioritize minor over fundamental matters
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逆来顺受
nì lái shùn shòu
Passive acceptance
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东施效颦
dōng shī xiào pín
Failed imitation lacking understanding
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因材施教
yīn cái shī jiào
Adapt teaching to student abilities
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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混水摸鱼
hún shuǐ mō yú
Exploit chaos
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火中取栗
huǒ zhōng qǔ lì
Used by others
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 倒行逆施 mean in English?
倒行逆施 (dào xíng nì shī) literally translates to “Go against the way, act against the order” and is used to express “Defy norms”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 倒行逆施 used?
Situation: His reckless decisions led to chaos in the organization.
What is the pinyin for 倒行逆施?
The pinyin pronunciation for 倒行逆施 is “dào xíng nì shī”.