投鼠忌器

Chinese

		to throw; to send	rat; mouse	avoid as taboo; jealous	device; tool; utensil
simp. and trad. (投鼠忌器)		投	鼠	忌	器
variant forms		投鼠之忌擲鼠忌器／掷鼠忌器
Literally: “to hesitate to pelt a rat for fear of smashing the dishes beside it; spare the rat to save the dishes”.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): tóushǔjìqì

(Zhuyin): ㄊㄡˊ ㄕㄨˇ ㄐㄧˋ ㄑㄧˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): tau⁴ syu² gei⁶ hei³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: tóushǔjìqì
  - Zhuyin: ㄊㄡˊ ㄕㄨˇ ㄐㄧˋ ㄑㄧˋ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tourshuujihchih
  - IPA ^(key): /tʰoʊ̯³⁵ ʂu²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ t͡ɕi⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: tau⁴ syu² gei⁶ hei³
  - Yale: tàuh syú geih hei
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tau⁴ sy² gei⁶ hei³
  - Guangdong Romanization: teo⁴ xu² géi⁶ héi³
  - IPA ^(key): /tʰɐu̯²¹ ʃyː³⁵ kei̯²² hei̯³³/

Idiom

投鼠忌器

to be doubtful about acting against an evil

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