坐怀不乱

Pronunciation: zuò huái bù luàn Literal meaning: Sit in lap not disorderly

Origin & Usage

Liuxia Hui, caught outside the city gate on a freezing night, is said to have sheltered a woman who would otherwise have died, holding her (坐怀) inside his robe until morning without the slightest impropriety (不乱). The story is told about him rather than by him, and it became the standard Chinese demonstration that virtue is what holds when nothing is watching. Professional integrity where the opportunity and the privacy both exist is its territory, and it is a considerable thing to say about anybody.

Examples

English: "The respected doctor maintained perfect professionalism with all patients"

Chinese: 这位受人尊敬的医生对所有患者都保持着完美的专业态度