Neither high nor low

Neither high nor low

Chinese idiom, Pinyin is B ù K à NGB ù B ē I, which means to have a proper measure of people, neither humble nor arrogant. It's from the nineteen books on answering the questions of xiaozhaisheng.

Idiom usage

If he is worried, his grandmother is not good with us. If you listen to him, you will be better with shame. (the 56th chapter of a dream of Red Mansions by Cao Xueqin in Qing Dynasty) Mr. Du is honest and upright, and he is neither overbearing nor humble in dealing with people, so he is deeply respected by his friends.

The origin of Idioms

Zhu Zhiyu of the Ming Dynasty wrote nineteen shunshu to xiaozhaisheng: "sages have their own right way. They should not be arrogant or arrogant. How can they be so?"

Idioms and allusions

At the end of the spring and Autumn period, Yan Ying, the Prime Minister of the state of Qi, was sent to the state of Chu. The king of Chu tried every means to make trouble for him. First, he was asked to enter the city from a small gate. Then, he said that he was a dwarf and treated him with the worst food. Finally, he humiliated him with two prisoners of the state of Qi. They were all convinced by his humble attitude and superb diplomacy. As a result, the king of Chu humiliated himself.