知足不辱
知足不辱 (zhī zú bù rǔ) literally means “know contentment avoid disgrace” and expresses “be content avoid shame”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: zhi zu bu ru, zhi zu bu ru,知足不辱 meaning, 知足不辱 in english
Be content avoid shame
Pronunciation: zhī zú bù rǔ Literal meaning: Know contentment avoid disgrace
Origin & Usage
The Daodejing puts it in chapter 44, after asking whether fame or your own person is dearer: 知足不辱，知止不殆 — knowing when you have enough keeps you from disgrace, knowing when to stop keeps you from danger. The two clauses are always quoted together. The Huainanzi illustrates them with Gong Yixiu, the minister of Lu who loved fish and refused every gift of fish, reasoning that a minister who takes presents loses his post and a man without a post cannot afford fish at all. Refusing them was how he kept eating them.
Examples
English: "He always finds joy in what he has, knowing that contentment brings peace."
Chinese: 他总是对自己拥有的感到满足，知道知足不辱。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
忍辱负重
rěn rǔ fù zhòng
Bear disgrace to discharge a duty
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知足常乐
zhī zú cháng lè
Contentment with what one has brings happiness
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微不足道
wēi bù zú dào
Too slight to weigh at all
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不知所措
bù zhī suǒ cuò
At a loss; not knowing what to do
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手足无措
shǒu zú wú cuò
At a loss; flustered
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无所不知
wú suǒ bù zhī
Know everything; omniscient
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画蛇添足
huà shé tiān zú
Ruin by adding extras
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削足适履
xuē zú shì lǚ
Distort the substance to fit the form
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 知足不辱 mean in English?
知足不辱 (zhī zú bù rǔ) literally translates to “Know contentment avoid disgrace” and is used to express “Be content avoid shame”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 知足不辱 used?
Situation: He always finds joy in what he has, knowing that contentment brings peace.
What is the pinyin for 知足不辱?
The pinyin pronunciation for 知足不辱 is “zhī zú bù rǔ”.