他们个个都是识时务地明哲保身
“Every one of them knows how to protect himself.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
便匆匆离京了
“before rushing out of the capital.”
他们个个都是 识时务 地 明哲保身
“Every one of them knows how to protect himself.”
“So why would you still dare come to my door?”
“Everyone else abandoned me to save their own skins, so what makes you bold enough to walk into the fire?”
In traditional bureaucratic culture, knowing when to retreat or disassociate from fallen factions is viewed as a vital survival skill, though often tinged with disloyalty.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
discerning the current trends; knowing how to act pragmatically according to the situation
Often used to describe people who adapt smartly to power dynamics, sometimes with a mild connotation of opportunism.
playing it safe to protect one's own skin; wise self-preservation
A common four-character idiom used when someone stays out of trouble or political crossfire to safeguard themselves.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“self-preserving deserter.”
“You can choose self-preservation.”
“their boldness in public”
“doesn't raise hypocrites who only protect themselves.”
“They're too cunning for us.”
“They are honest businessmen.”