上梁不正下梁歪 in English shang4 liang2 bu4 zheng4 xia4 liang2 wai1 Meaning

Meanings

• literally (word for word) If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked (idiomatic expression); metaphorically subordinates imitate their superiors' vices

Pinyin

shang4 liang2 bu4 zheng4 xia4 liang2 wai1

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

上shang4see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1] 梁liang2Liang Dynasty (502-557) 不bu4(negative prefix) 正zheng4first month of the lunar year 下xia4down 梁liang2Liang Dynasty (502-557) 歪wai1askew