过门不入 — “To pass by one's own home without entering”

过门不入 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to pass by one's own home without entering”. Often implying selfless dedication to one's public duties or work, neglecting personal or family matters for the greater good. Literally, “pass the door without entering”.

Frequency

过门不入 Pronunciation and Pinyin

过门不入 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
过	guò	7	pass, cross, or go over
门	mén	3	door, gate, entrance
不	bù	4	not
入	rù	2	to enter

Example Sentence with 过门不入

消防员在紧急任务期间，即使路过家门也过门不入，一心扑在救援上。

During emergency missions, firefighters often pass their own homes without entering, dedicating themselves entirely to rescue efforts.

Origin and Story of 过门不入

In ancient times, a great flood occurred, lasting over 20 years and affecting a vast area. During the reign of Emperor Shun, he appointed Yu (son of Gun, who had been executed by Emperor Yao for his failed flood control efforts) to manage the flood.

Learning from his father's failures, Yu adopted a dredging approach. He planned waterways according to the terrain, guiding the floodwaters into rivers and eventually into the sea, thus finally quelling the deluge.

During his flood control efforts, there were several personal episodes. Yu, who was over 30 and still unmarried, met a girl named Nv Jiao in Tushan (northwest of Shaoxing County, Zhejiang today). They fell deeply in love and married. However, just four days after their wedding, Yu departed to continue his work.

Over the 13 years of his flood control mission, Yu passed by his own home three times. The first time, his child was still crying in a cradle. The second time, the child had just learned to call 'father.' The third time, his child had grown older and wanted to keep him home. Yet, Yu never entered his house even once, as he was always in too much of a hurry, fully dedicated to his monumental task.