Definition
洁身自好 is a four-character idiom (成语) with two related but distinct meanings. Literally 'cleanse oneself and cherish one's own purity', it originally meant to keep oneself morally clean and not associate with corrupt people or practices. In modern usage it can also carry a slightly negative connotation of 'minding only one's own business to avoid trouble' — staying aloof from group affairs or social responsibilities. The tone depends on context: praise for integrity in the first sense, mild criticism for selfish detachment in the second.
f.e.
to keep oneself morally pure and uncorrupted (by avoiding bad influences)to mind one's own business and stay out of trouble (sometimes implying selfish aloofness)
Examples
- 洁身自好，。Tā yìshēng jié shēn zì hào, cóng bù yǔ tān guān tóng liú hé wū.He kept himself pure all his life and never wallowed in the mire with corrupt officials.
- ，洁身自好，。Gōngsī chū le wèntí, tā què jié shēn zì hào, bú yuàn chāshǒu bāngmáng.When the company ran into trouble, he just minded his own business and refused to help.
- ，洁身自好。Zài fùzá de huánjìng zhōng, jié shēn zì hào shì yì zhǒng nándé de pǐnzhì.In a complicated environment, keeping oneself pure is a rare quality.
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