一丘之貉 yī qiū zhī hè birds of a feather

Explanation

这个成语比喻彼此都是同类，没有区别，多指贬义。

This idiom is used to describe two people or groups who are similar in their character or actions and share low qualities, usually with a negative connotation.

Origin Story

战国时期，有一个名叫苏秦的人，他游说各国诸侯，想联合起来对抗强大的秦国。他先去游说魏国，魏王不信他，说：“你不过是靠一张嘴皮子，到处忽悠别人，跟那些只会夸夸其谈的人有什么区别？”苏秦听了很不高兴，就反驳道：“大王您说的是谁？难道是指那些只会说空话，没有真才实学的骗子吗？难道大王您和那些一丘之貉有什么区别？”魏王被苏秦说得哑口无言，最后还是同意了他的建议。后来，苏秦又游说了其他几个国家，最终促成了合纵抗秦的局面。

zhàn guó shí qī, yǒu yī gè míng jiào sū qín de rén, tā yóu shuō gè guó zhū hóu, xiǎng lián hé qǐ lái duì kàng qiáng dà de qín guó. tā xiān qù yóu shuō wèi guó, wèi wáng bù xìn tā, shuō: ‘nǐ bù guò shì kào yī zhāng zuǐ pí zi, dào chù hū yōu bié rén, gēn nà xiē zhǐ huì kuā kuā qí tán de rén yǒu shén me qū bié?’ sū qín tīng le hěn bù gāo xìng, jiù fǎn bó dào: ‘dà wáng nín shuō de shì shuí? nán dào shì zhǐ nà xiē zhǐ huì shuō kōng huà, méi yǒu zhēn cái shí xué de piàn zi ma? nán dào dà wáng nín hé nà xiē yī qiū zhī hè yǒu shén me qū bié?’ wèi wáng bèi sū qín shuō de yǎ kǒu wú yán, zuì hòu hái shì tóng yì le tā de jiàn yì. hòu lái, sū qín yòu yóu shuō le qí tā jǐ gè guó jiā, zuì zhōng cù chéng le hé zòng kàng qín de jú miàn.

During the Warring States period, there was a man named Su Qin who traveled around the different kingdoms, trying to persuade the princes to unite against the powerful Qin. He first went to persuade the King of Wei, but the king didn't believe him, saying,

Usage

这个成语用来形容两个人或两个群体，他们的品质、行为等方面非常相似，没有本质区别，多指贬义。

zhè gè chéng yǔ yòng lái xíng róng liǎng gè rén huò liǎng gè qún tǐ, tā men de pǐn zhí, xíng wéi děng fāng miàn fēi cháng xiāng sì, méi yǒu běn zhì qū bié, duō zhǐ biǎn yì.

This idiom is used to describe two people or groups who are very similar in their qualities, behavior, etc., and have no essential difference, often with a negative connotation.

Examples

  • 他们两个真是臭味相投，简直是一丘之貉！

    tā men liǎng gè zhēn shì chòu wèi xiāng tóu, jiǎn zhí shì yī qiū zhī hè!

    They are really birds of a feather, just a pack of scoundrels!

  • 做人要光明磊落，不要跟那些一丘之貉的人为伍。

    zuò rén yào guāng míng lěi luò, bù yào gēn nà xiē yī qiū zhī hè de rén wéi wǔ.

    Be a decent person and don't associate with those scoundrels.

Related Idioms

  • 一路货色

  • 沆瀣一气

  • 同流合污

Opposite Idioms

  • 泾渭分明

  • 黑白分明