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瓜田李下

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Chinese

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melon patch surname; plum
under; next; lower
under; next; lower; below; underneath; down(wards); to go down; latter
 
trad. (瓜田李下) 瓜田
simp. #(瓜田李下) 瓜田
alternative forms 李下瓜田
anagram 李下瓜田
Literally: “under a plum tree or in a melon patch”.

Etymology

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Originates from a longer proverb 瓜田不納履,李下不整冠瓜田不纳履,李下不整冠 (guātián bù nà lǚ, lǐxià bù zhěng guān), literally "do not put on shoes in a melon field; do not adjust your hat under a plum tree".

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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瓜田李下

  1. a position that invites suspicion; suspicious circumstances or surroundings