羊续悬鱼
羊续悬鱼 (yáng xù xuán yú) literally means “yang xu hangs up the fish” and expresses “an incorruptible official who refuses gifts”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: yang xu xuan yu, yang xu xuan yu,羊续悬鱼 meaning, 羊续悬鱼 in english
An incorruptible official who refuses gifts
Pronunciation: yáng xù xuán yú Literal meaning: Yang Xu hangs up the fish
Origin & Usage
From the Book of the Later Han (《后汉书·羊续传》). Here 羊 is a surname: Yang Xu (羊续) was governor of Nanyang in the late Eastern Han and famous for living frugally. His deputy once presented him with a fresh fish. Yang accepted it and hung it up in his courtyard. When the deputy later brought another, Yang simply showed him the first one, still hanging there, and the gifts stopped (续乃出前所悬者以杜其意). The hanging fish (悬鱼) became shorthand for an official who cannot be bought, and the idiom is still used to praise public servants who refuse favours.
Examples
English: "She returned every gift from suppliers with a polite note — a modern Yang Xu hanging up the fish."
Chinese: 他为官清廉，效法羊续悬鱼，从不收受任何礼物。
Related Chinese Idioms
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yáng zhì hǔ pí
Imposing outside, timid within
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挂羊头卖狗肉
guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu
Advertise one thing and deliver another
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苏武牧羊
sū wǔ mù yáng
Unbending loyalty through long hardship
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瘦羊博士
shòu yáng bó shì
A modest person who yields to others
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牵羊担酒
qiān yáng dān jiǔ
Bring gifts to celebrate or give thanks
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羚羊挂角
líng yáng guà jiǎo
Artistry that leaves no trace
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歧路亡羊
qí lù wáng yáng
Too many choices lead nowhere
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亡羊得牛
wáng yáng dé niú
A small loss that yields a greater gain
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 羊续悬鱼 mean in English?
羊续悬鱼 (yáng xù xuán yú) literally translates to “Yang Xu hangs up the fish” and is used to express “An incorruptible official who refuses gifts”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 羊续悬鱼 used?
Situation: She returned every gift from suppliers with a polite note — a modern Yang Xu hanging up the fish.
What is the pinyin for 羊续悬鱼?
The pinyin pronunciation for 羊续悬鱼 is “yáng xù xuán yú”.