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
一模一样
yī mú yī yàng
Exactly identical
Learn more →
以心换心
yǐ xīn huàn xīn
Treat others as yourself
Learn more →
海纳百川
hǎi nà bǎi chuān
Accept all with open mind
Learn more →
以和为贵
yǐ hé wéi guì
Value harmony above all
Learn more →
同舟共济
tóng zhōu gòng jì
Face challenges together
Learn more →
风雨同舟
fēng yǔ tóng zhōu
Share hardships together
Learn more →
春风化雨
chūn fēng huà yǔ
Gentle, nurturing influence
Learn more →
狐假虎威
hú jiǎ hǔ wēi
Borrow authority to intimidate
Learn more →
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”.