子罕辞宝 — “To refuse valuable gifts or treasures”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 子罕辞宝?

比喻拒绝接受别人的珍贵物品

子罕辞宝 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to refuse valuable gifts or treasures”. Symbolizing incorruptibility, integrity, and prioritizing moral principles over material gain. It often implies a selfless refusal to accept what might be considered a personal benefit. Literally, “Zi Han declines treasures”.

Frequency

子罕辞宝 Pronunciation and Pinyin

子罕辞宝 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
子	zi	3	son, child, seed, small thing
罕	hǎn	7	rarely seen
辞	cí	13	to resign or decline
宝	bǎo	8	treasure, precious, valuable

Example Sentence with 子罕辞宝

面对高额报酬的诱惑，他依然子罕辞宝，坚持自己的操守。

Faced with the temptation of a high reward, he still exemplified 'Zi Han declines treasures,' adhering firmly to his moral principles.

Origin and Story of 子罕辞宝

During the Spring and Autumn period, a man from the State of Song discovered a precious jade while excavating stones. He had it appraised and confirmed as a valuable gem.

He then carried it to the capital to present it to the minister Zi Han. Zi Han said, 'If I accept it, both of us will lose our true treasures. You will lose your gem, and I will lose my reputation for integrity. I consider non-greed as my most valuable treasure.'

So, Zi Han ordered the jade to be polished and sold in the market. He gave the money to the man from Song and sent escorts to ensure his safe return home.