匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 — “A common man is not guilty, but carrying a jade makes him guilty”
匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Innocent people may suffer harm or misfortune simply because they possess something valuable, desirable, or a unique talent, which can attract envy, greed, or danger from others”. Literally, “A common man is not guilty, but carrying a jade makes him guilty”.
匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 Pronunciation and Pinyin
匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪
Origin and Story of 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪
In ancient times, a common man from the state of Yu obtained a precious jade. At that time, King Yu of the court was eager to collect all the rare treasures throughout the land.
The common man initially hesitated to present the jade. Later, others advised him, quoting the proverb, "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure makes him guilty," warning that if he didn't offer it, it would lead to his demise.
The common man found this reasoning valid, regretted his initial reluctance, and promptly presented the jade to King Yu.
Idioms Related to 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪
Synonyms of 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪
More idioms starting with 匹
- pǐ匹fū夫zhī之yǒng勇reckless courage
- pǐ匹fū夫zhī之liàng谅petty integrity of a common person
- pǐ匹fū夫pǐ匹fù妇ordinary men and women
- pǐ匹fū夫xiǎo小liàng谅petty integrity of a commoner
- pǐ匹fū夫wú无zuì罪An ordinary person is innocent
- pǐ匹fū夫yǒu有zé责Every common person has a responsibility
- pǐ匹fū夫gōu沟dú渎pedantic about trivial matters
- pǐ匹fù妇gōu沟qú渠overly concerned with petty details
- pǐ匹liàn练fēi飞kōng空magnificent waterfall like white silk
- pǐ匹mǎ马yī一huī麾fight bravely with minimal resources
- pǐ匹mǎ马dān单qiāng枪act alone without assistance
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Open the tool →Questions about 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪
What does 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 mean?
匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 (pǐ fū wú zuì ， huái bì qí zuì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Innocent people may suffer harm or misfortune simply because they possess something valuable, desirable, or a unique talent, which can attract envy, greed, or danger from others”.
How do you pronounce 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪?
匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 is pronounced pǐ fū wú zuì ， huái bì qí zuì in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 literally mean?
Literally, 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 means “a common man is not guilty, but carrying a jade makes him guilty”. It is used to mean “Innocent people may suffer harm or misfortune simply because they possess something valuable, desirable, or a unique talent, which can attract envy, greed, or danger from others”.
Where does 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 come from?
匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪?
百姓本没有罪，因身藏璧玉而获罪。原指财宝能致祸。后亦比喻有才能、有理想而受害。