明哲保身

Pronunciation: míng zhé bǎo shēn Literal meaning: Wise person protects self

Origin & Usage

This comes from an ode in the Book of Songs praising Zhong Shanfu's service to King Xuan: 既明且哲，以保其身 — being both clear-sighted and wise, he thereby preserves (保) himself (身). The one who is discerning (明哲) comes to no harm because he sees things as they are, and the poem has no treacherous court in it; the preservation follows from the clarity. Later usage turned sharper, and today the phrase usually carries a reproach: keeping out of trouble at the cost of not speaking up.

Examples

English: "The executive quietly resigned before the company scandal became public"

Chinese: 在公司丑闻公开之前，这位高管悄悄辞职了