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不求有功,但求無過

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Chinese

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not; no
to seek; to look for; to request
to seek; to look for; to request; to demand; to beseech
 
to have; there is; there are
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
 
merit; achievement; result
merit; achievement; result; service; accomplishment
 
but; yet; however
but; yet; however; only; merely; still
 
to seek; to look for; to request
to seek; to look for; to request; to demand; to beseech
 
not have
to cross; to go over; (experienced action marker)
to cross; to go over; (experienced action marker); to pass; to celebrate; to live; to get along; excessively; too-
 
trad. (不求有功,但求無過)
simp. (不求有功,但求无过)
Literally: “does not seek merit, only seeks a lack of errors”.

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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不求有功,但求無過

  1. (somebody who) does not try to accomplish anything, but rather avoids doing things that would end up in his making a mistake and getting yelled at by others; color inside the lines; a complacent attitude