tyrants do as they please while oppressing the people
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
a tyrannical ruler does as he pleases but forbids the common people their basic rights; one rule for the powerful and another for the weak
formalDerived from a Song Dynasty story about Prefect Tian Deng (田登), who banned the word "deng" (灯/lamp) because it sounded like his name. During the Lantern Festival, the official notice stated that the prefecture would "set fire for three days" (放火三日) instead of "display lamps."
Zài在
zhè这
ge个
guó国
jiā家
，
zhǐ只
xǔ许
zhōu州
guān官
fàng放
huǒ火
，
bù不
xǔ许
bǎi百
xìng姓
diǎn点
dēng灯
，
rén人
mín民
háo毫
wú无
zì自
yóu由
kě可
yán言
。
In this country, the officials can do as they please while the people are denied their basic rights, leaving the populace with no freedom whatsoever.
Tā他
cóng从
lái来
dōu都
shì是
zhǐ只
xǔ许
zhōu州
guān官
fàng放
huǒ火
，
bù不
xǔ许
bǎi百
xìng姓
diǎn点
dēng灯
，
zì自
jǐ己
chí迟
dào到
kě可
yǐ以
，
bié别
rén人
chí迟
dào到
jiù就
pī批
píng评
。
He has always operated by one rule for himself and another for others—it's fine for him to be late, but he criticizes others when they are.
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Zhè这
zhǒng种
zhǐ只
xǔ许
zhōu州
guān官
fàng放
huǒ火
，
bù不
xǔ许
bǎi百
xìng姓
diǎn点
dēng灯
de的
zuò做
fǎ法
yǐn引
qǐ起
le了
gōng公
fèn愤
。
This kind of tyrannical behavior, where the powerful do as they please while oppressing the weak, has sparked public outrage.