Meaning of 上梁不正下梁歪
上梁不正下梁歪 means when the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked; subordinates follow the bad example set by their superiors. Pronounced shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi.
- when the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked; subordinates follow the bad example set by their superiors
Definitions & Examples
Lǐng领
dǎo导
tān贪
wū污
shòu受
huì贿
，
xià下
shǔ属
yě也
gēn跟
zhe着
fǔ腐
bài败
，
zhēn真
shi是
shàng上
liáng梁
bù不
zhèng正
xià下
liáng梁
wāi歪
。
The leaders are corrupt and take bribes, so their subordinates follow suit—truly, when the upper beam is crooked, the lower one follows.
Jiā家
zhǎng长
rú如
guǒ果
jīng经
cháng常
sā撒
huǎng谎
，
hái孩
zi子
yě也
huì会
gēn跟
zhe着
xué学
，
zhè这
jiù就
shì是
shàng上
liáng梁
bù不
zhèng正
xià下
liáng梁
wāi歪
de的
dào道
lǐ理
。
If parents frequently lie, their children will learn to do the same—that is the principle of the crooked upper beam.
Zhè这
jiā家
gōng公
sī司
gāo高
céng层
guǎn管
lǐ理
hùn混
luàn乱
，
zhōng中
céng层
gàn干
bù部
yě也
mǎ马
ma马
hū虎
hū虎
，
zhēn真
shi是
shàng上
liáng梁
bù不
zhèng正
xià下
liáng梁
wāi歪
。
The senior management of this company is chaotic, so the middle managers are also careless—when the top is not straight, the bottom follows.
Yào要
xiǎng想
xià下
shǔ属
pǐn品
xíng行
duān端
zhèng正
，
lǐng领
dǎo导
shǒu首
xiān先
děi得
yǐ以
shēn身
zuò作
zé则
，
fǒu否
zé则
jiù就
huì会
shàng上
liáng梁
bù不
zhèng正
xià下
liáng梁
wāi歪
。
If you want your subordinates to behave properly, leaders must first set an example; otherwise, the crooked beam will cause the lower one to warp.
Relations
Synonyms
Antonyms