蝇营狗苟 scurrying and groveling
Explanation
比喻为了追逐名利，不择手段，象苍蝇一样飞来飞去，象狗一样的不识羞耻。
It is used to describe someone who unscrupulously pursues fame and fortune, acting like a fly buzzing around and a dog without shame.
Origin Story
唐朝时期，长安城繁华似锦，但官场却充斥着腐败的气息。无数官员为了升官发财，不择手段，贪污受贿，甚至草菅人命。百姓们对此深恶痛绝，却无力反抗。这些官员如同苍蝇一般，嗡嗡乱飞，到处寻找机会谋取私利；又像狗一样，卑躬屈膝，毫无廉耻。韩愈在《送穷文》中写道：“蝇营狗苟，驱去复返”，正是对这种现象的深刻批判。他痛斥这些官员的卑劣行径，呼吁人们摒弃这种蝇营狗苟的行为，追求光明磊落的人生。后来，人们便用“蝇营狗苟”来形容那些为了私利不择手段的人。 一个名叫李实的官员，为了获得更高的职位，他不惜向权贵们奉承献媚，甚至为了蝇营狗苟的利益，不惜牺牲自己的道德底线。他每天在官场里奔走，像一只苍蝇一样到处乱窜，寻找机会巴结上司，捞取好处。他的这种行为被同事们看在眼里，私下里都对他嗤之以鼻，称他为“蝇营狗苟”的李实。最终，李实的行为败露，不仅丢了官职，还身败名裂。
During the Tang Dynasty, the capital Chang'an was splendid, but the government offices were rife with corruption. Countless officials used every means to advance their careers and become wealthy, taking bribes and even disregarding human life. The people deeply loathed this, but were powerless to resist. These officials were like flies, buzzing around and looking for opportunities to gain personal profit; and like dogs, bowing and scraping, without any shame. Han Yu wrote in his work "Sending Off Poverty": "Flies bustle about, driven away, then they return," which is a sharp criticism of this phenomenon. He denounced the despicable behavior of these officials and called on people to abandon this behavior and pursue a virtuous life. Later, the expression "flies bustling around and dogs scurrying about" was used to describe those who would use any means for their own benefit.
Usage
用以形容那些为了私利而不择手段的人。
It is used to describe those who use any means for their own benefit.
Examples
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他蝇营狗苟，最终落得个身败名裂的下场。
tā yíng yíng gǒu gǒu, zuìzhōng luò de gè shēn bài míng liè de xià chǎng.
He scurried and groveled, eventually ending up disgraced and ruined.
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那些蝇营狗苟的小人，终究逃不过正义的审判。
nà xiē yíng yíng gǒu gǒu de xiǎo rén, zhōngjiū táo bù guò zhèngyì de shěnpàn
Those scurrying and groveling villains will ultimately escape justice's judgment