不為五斗米折腰

不為五斗米折腰

See also: 不为五斗米折腰

Chinese

		to not do	five	ladle; dipper; small ladle; dipper; small; big; stars	rice; meter	to bow in obeisance
trad. (不為五斗米折腰)		不為	五	斗	米	折腰
simp. (不为五斗米折腰)		不为	五	斗	米	折腰

Etymology

Literally: to not bow down for the sake of five pecks (or decalitres) of rice

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhéyāo

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄟˋ ㄨˇ ㄉㄡˇ ㄇㄧˇ ㄓㄜˊ ㄧㄠ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): bat¹ wai⁶ ng⁵ dau² mai⁵ zit³ jiu¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhéyāo [Phonetic: búwèiwúdóumǐzhéyāo]
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄟˋ ㄨˇ ㄉㄡˇ ㄇㄧˇ ㄓㄜˊ ㄧㄠ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bu wey wuu doou mii jeriau
    • IPA ^(key): /pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ u̯eɪ̯⁵¹ u²¹⁴⁻³⁵ toʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ mi²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵ i̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: bat¹ wai⁶ ng⁵ dau² mai⁵ zit³ jiu¹
    • Yale: bāt waih ńgh dáu máih jit yīu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: bat⁷ wai⁶ ng⁵ dau² mai⁵ dzit⁸ jiu¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: bed¹ wei⁶ ng⁵ deo² mei⁵ jid³ yiu¹
    • IPA ^(key): /pɐt̚⁵ wɐi̯²² ŋ̍¹³ tɐu̯³⁵ mɐi̯¹³ t͡siːt̚³ jiːu̯⁵⁵/

Idiom

不為五斗米折腰

1. to not compromise one's integrity just to earn a small salary in a dead-end job; to not sacrifice one's ideals in order to make a living

   • 我對很多年輕人和創業人有一個建議，如果一個人年紀大了，不得不為五斗米折腰的時候沒辦法。但是對於年輕人，對於想創業的新一代的人，還是要有理想主義色彩，不要被物化的東西迷惑住。整天比哪個公司給我的工資更高，或者哪個公司的名氣聽起來更能滿足虛榮心。 [MSC, trad.]
     我对很多年轻人和创业人有一个建议，如果一个人年纪大了，不得不为五斗米折腰的时候没办法。但是对于年轻人，对于想创业的新一代的人，还是要有理想主义色彩，不要被物化的东西迷惑住。整天比哪个公司给我的工资更高，或者哪个公司的名气听起来更能满足虚荣心。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2005: anon, 周鸿袆：大丈夫光明磊落 我不是个谦谦君子 (An interview with former Yahoo China executive, Zhou Hongyi: It takes a brave man to be open and frank, modesty has never been my strong suit)

     Wǒ duì hěn duō niánqīngrén hé chuàngyèrén yǒu yīge jiànyì, rúguǒ yīge rén niánjì dà le, bùdé bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhéyāo de shíhòu méi bànfǎ. Dànshì duìyú niánqīngrén, duìyú xiǎng chuàngyè de xīn yīdài de rén, háishì yào yǒu lǐxiǎng zhǔyì sècǎi, bùyào bèi wù huà de dōngxī míhuò zhù. Zhěngtiān bǐ nǎge gōngsī gěi wǒ de gōngzī gèng gāo, huòzhě nǎge gōngsī de míngqì tīngqǐlái gèng néng mǎnzú xūróngxīn. [Pinyin]

     I have a suggestion for the many young people and entrepreneurs out there: if a person is older, there may come a time when he can ill-afford to not sacrifice his ideals in order to make a living. But for the young person, or the next-generation of aspiring entrepreneur, it is better to have an idealist's mindset. Don't be enticed by material things. Don't sit there all day comparing which company will pay you a higher salary, or which company's reputation sounds better capable of satisfying your sense of vanity.