恶贯满盈
恶贯满盈 (è guàn mǎn yíng) literally means “the string of evil deeds filled to the brim” and expresses “accumulated evil deeds ripe for punishment”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: e guan man ying, e guan man ying,恶贯满盈 meaning, 恶贯满盈 in english
Accumulated evil deeds ripe for punishment
Pronunciation: è guàn mǎn yíng Literal meaning: The string of evil deeds filled to the brim
Origin & Usage
This descends from the Book of Documents, where the crimes of the last Shang king are said to be strung together and full — the image is of evils (恶) threaded on a cord like coins until the string (贯) is full (满盈). The metaphor is quantitative and final: it implies a reckoning is now due, not merely deserved. Somebody whose accumulated crimes have run out of room on the string.
Examples
English: "After decades of corruption, the official was finally brought to justice"
Chinese: 经过几十年的腐败，这名官员终于被绳之以法
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
负荆请罪
fù jīng qǐng zuì
Sincerely admit fault and accept consequences
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自食其果
zì shí qí guǒ
Reap what one sows; suffer consequences
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融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Integrate many strands into one understanding
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Shirk effort by preference
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怒不可遏
nù bù kě è
Be furious beyond control
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引火烧身
yǐn huǒ shāo shēn
Bring trouble upon oneself
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卧薪尝胆
wò xīn cháng dǎn
Endure hardship for future success
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覆水难收
fù shuǐ nán shōu
Actions cannot be undone
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 恶贯满盈 mean in English?
恶贯满盈 (è guàn mǎn yíng) literally translates to “The string of evil deeds filled to the brim” and is used to express “Accumulated evil deeds ripe for punishment”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 恶贯满盈 used?
Situation: After decades of corruption, the official was finally brought to justice
What is the pinyin for 恶贯满盈?
The pinyin pronunciation for 恶贯满盈 is “è guàn mǎn yíng”.