顾全大局

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: gù quán dà jú
• English Translation: To consider the big picture (prioritizing the collective interest)
• Idiom Composition: 「顾」（To look after, consider, or care for.）＋「全」（To preserve, keep intact, or make whole.）＋「大局」（The overall situation or the 'big picture'.）
• Meaning: To suppress personal feelings or minor interests in order to preserve the harmony and benefits of the whole group. It describes a mature and responsible attitude often praised in organizational or social settings.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「顾全大局」 contains the following nuances:

• Implication of Self-Sacrifice: Beyond just 'seeing' the big picture, this idiom strongly implies a willingness to temporarily withdraw one's own opinions or benefits for the sake of the group.
• Maintaining Harmony: It refers to an attitude that prioritizes the smooth progress of a project or organization by preventing internal division and conflict.
• Long-term Perspective: It emphasizes looking past immediate, small gains or losses to focus on final success and long-term stability.

3. Usage

「顾全大局」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Organizational Decision-Making: Used when someone supports a team decision despite having personal reservations, or when evaluating a person's willingness to cooperate for the group's sake.
  • Example:「虽然他对这个方案有保留意见，但为了顾全大局，他还是投了赞成票。」
    （Although he had reservations about the proposal, he still voted in favor to consider the big picture.）
• Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts: Used to encourage people to set aside personal grudges or emotional disputes to achieve a common goal.
  • Example:「希望你们能放下个人恩怨，顾全大局，共同完成这次任务。」
    （I hope you can put aside personal grudges, prioritize the overall interest, and complete this mission together.）

Additional Examples:

1. 作为队长，他时刻提醒自己要顾全大局，不能意气用事。
   （As the captain, he constantly reminds himself to consider the big picture and not act on impulse.）
2. 在这种关键时刻，我们必须顾全大局，做出必要的牺牲。
   （At such a critical moment, we must prioritize the overall interest and make necessary sacrifices.）
3. 他这种顾全大局的精神，赢得了所有同事的敬佩。
   （His spirit of considering the big picture won the respect of all his colleagues.）
4. 为了公司的声誉，她选择了沉默，这也是一种顾全大局的表现。
   （She chose to remain silent for the sake of the company's reputation, which is also a way of prioritizing the overall situation.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Collectivist Values: In Chinese culture, prioritizing group harmony over individual desire is seen as a major virtue, and 顾全大局 (gù quán dà jú) is a key expression of this value.
• Nuance of Pressure: While generally positive, the phrase can sometimes be used by superiors to pressure subordinates into compliance. Telling someone to 'look at the big picture' (顾全大局) can be a polite way of saying 'don't complain and just follow along.'
• Literary Source: Examples of this phrase can be found in the Late Qing Dynasty novel *Strange Things Witnessed in the Last Twenty Years* (二十年目睹之怪现状). Today, it remains a very common expression in everything from daily conversation to political speeches.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 识大体 (shí dà tǐ): To understand what is important and follow the principles of the overall situation.
  • 委曲求全 (wěi qū qiú quán): To make compromises or endure grievances for the sake of the whole.
  • 大公无私 (dà gōng wú sī): To be completely fair and unselfish.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 因小失大 (yīn xiǎo shī dà): To lose a great deal for the sake of a small gain; penny wise and pound foolish.
  • 斤斤计较 (jīn jīn jì jiào): To haggle over every penny or fuss over trivial matters.link
  • 损人利己 (sǔn rén lì jǐ): To harm others to benefit oneself.link
  • 自私自利 (zì sī zì lì): To be selfish and only care about one's own benefit.link

6. Summary

The idiom 顾全大局 (gù quán dà jú) describes the act of sacrificing individual desires or small gains to protect the interests of the collective, such as a team or organization. It is a highly valued trait in professional and social environments where cooperation and harmony are prioritized over individual conflict.