敬而远之

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: jìng ér yuǎn zhī
• English Translation: To show respect but keep a distance; to avoid close contact while maintaining politeness
• Idiom Composition: 「敬」（To respect）＋「而」（And）＋「远」（To keep away）＋「之」（It, this）
• Meaning: To show respect while maintaining a certain distance. It expresses a feeling of politeness on the surface but a desire to avoid close involvement or deep engagement.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「敬而远之」 contains the following nuances:

• Superficial respect: Describes a state where one appears to show respect to others but actually wishes to keep a distance.
• Maintaining distance: Indicates an attitude of avoiding close relationships and keeping a certain distance.
• Passive involvement: Implies a stance of not actively engaging and limiting interactions to the minimum necessary.
• Coexistence of respect and rejection: Expresses the simultaneous presence of conflicting feelings of respect and rejection.

3. Usage

「敬而远之」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Interpersonal relationships: Used to describe how to interact with people one prefers to avoid or finds difficult.
  • Example:「他对那些喜欢搬弄是非的人一向敬而远之。」
    （He consistently keeps a respectful distance from those who like to stir up trouble.）
• Life strategy: Sometimes used as a strategy to avoid trouble or complicated situations.
  • Example:「在职场上，对一些复杂的人际关系最好敬而远之。」
    （In the workplace, it's best to keep a respectful distance from complicated interpersonal relationships.）
• Evaluation of others: Used to express respect for someone while feeling they are unapproachable or someone one prefers not to get involved with.
  • Example:「虽然我很敬佩他的才华，但我对他那种孤傲的性格还是敬而远之。」
    （Although I admire his talent, I still keep a respectful distance from his arrogant personality.）

Additional Examples:

1. 对于这种危险的事情，我们还是敬而远之为好。
   （It's better to keep a respectful distance from such dangerous matters.）
2. 他虽然是个好人，但我总觉得他有点古怪，所以一直对他敬而远之。
   （Although he is a good person, I always find him a bit strange, so I have kept a respectful distance from him.）
3. 面对那些虚伪的人，我们应该学会敬而远之。
   （We should learn to keep a respectful distance from hypocritical people.）
4. 小王对公司的权力斗争敬而远之，只专注于自己的工作。
   （Xiao Wang keeps a respectful distance from the company's power struggles and focuses only on his own work.）
5. 尽管这个项目很有挑战性，但他还是选择了敬而远之，因为他不想承担太大的风险。
   （Although this project is very challenging, he chose to keep a respectful distance because he did not want to take on too much risk.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Influence of Confucianism: The concept of '敬而远之' is related to Confucian teachings, especially the idea of the 'Doctrine of the Mean,' which emphasizes maintaining balance and avoiding extremes.
• Complexity of relationships: In Chinese society, interpersonal relationships can be very complex, and adopting an attitude of '敬而远之' helps avoid conflicts and troubles.
• Surface and true feelings: '敬而远之' reflects an aspect of Chinese culture where people often distinguish between outward politeness and inner feelings.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 敬而不畏 (jìng ér bú wèi): To respect someone without fear.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 亲如手足 (qīn rú shǒu zú): As close as family.
  • 亲密无间 (qīn mì wú jiàn): Extremely close and inseparable.

6. Summary

'敬而远之' is an important idiom for understanding Chinese interpersonal relationships and life strategies. It describes an attitude of showing respect outwardly while keeping a distance in reality, serving as a wise approach to managing complex social interactions. Understanding the cultural background and ideas behind this idiom can deepen your insight into the behaviors and thinking of Chinese people.