Definition
This four-character idiom means that leniency or appeasement toward wrongdoing only encourages more serious trouble. It's used as a warning — often in social, political, or personal contexts — to emphasize that tolerating small evils will allow them to grow.
f.e.
to tolerate evil is to abet itappeasement breeds trouble
Examples
- 姑息养奸，。Duì wéifǎ xíngwéi jué bùnéng gū xī yǎng jiān, fǒuzé huì pòhuài shèhuì zhìxù.We must never tolerate illegal acts, or it will undermine social order.
- ，姑息养奸。Jīnglǐ fāxiàn yuángōng de xiǎo cuòwù què bù guǎn, zhè jiùshì gū xī yǎng jiān.The manager noticed the employees' small mistakes but did nothing — that's tolerating evil.
- ，姑息养奸，。Fùmǔ guòfèn nì'ài háizi, wǎngwǎng shì gū xī yǎng jiān, zhùcháng le huài xíguàn.Overindulgent parents often end up tolerating evil and encouraging bad habits.
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