cultivate integrity; foster honesty
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to cultivate integrity; to foster honest conduct; to nurture moral uprightness
literaryPrimarily used in formal, literary, or historical contexts. Often appears in the classical four-character phrase 俭以养廉 (frugality cultivates integrity), which suggests that living frugally helps officials resist corruption.
Jiǎn俭
yǐ以
yǎng养
lián廉
，
jiǎn俭
yǐ以
yǎng养
dé德
。
Frugality cultivates integrity; frugality cultivates virtue.
Gǔ古
dài代
guān官
yuán员
kào靠
yǎng养
lián廉
yín银
lái来
yǎng养
lián廉
。
Ancient officials relied on 'integrity-nourishing silver' to maintain honest conduct.
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Wéi为
zhèng政
zhě者
dāng当
zhī知
yǎng养
lián廉
zhī之
dào道
。
Those in governance should understand the way of cultivating integrity.