近朱者赤 Near vermilion, one is red
Explanation
比喻接近好人容易使人变好,指环境对人的影响很大。
It means that being close to good people makes people better, indicating that the environment has a significant impact on people.
Origin Story
东汉时期,有一个叫郭林宗的人,为人正直,待人友善。他家住在一个繁华的闹市区,邻居都是一些地位显赫、道德高尚的官员和学者。郭林宗从小耳濡目染,受到良好的熏陶,长大后也成为了一位品德高尚、学识渊博的官员。后来,他的儿子郭泰也继承了他的优良传统,成为了一位著名的学者。这便是“近朱者赤,近墨者黑”的生动写照。而反面例子,则有另一位官员,他本性善良,却因长期与奸邪小人交往,最终也沾染上了恶习,可见环境对人的影响之大。
During the Han Dynasty, there was a man named Guo Linzong, who was upright and kind. His house was in a bustling market area, and his neighbors were high-ranking officials and scholars of high moral character. Guo Linzong was surrounded by these values from a young age and later became a highly respected official with great knowledge. His son, Guo Tai, also followed this positive example and became a famous scholar. This is a great example of the saying: Near vermilion, one is red; near ink, one is black. Conversely, there was another official who was naturally good but, through contact with unscrupulous people, developed bad habits. This shows how great the influence of the environment can be on people.
Usage
用于劝诫人,多用于教育场合。
It is used to exhort people, mostly in educational settings.
Examples
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近朱者赤,近墨者黑,这句成语大家都知道。
jìn zhū zhě chì, jìn mò zhě hēi, zhè jù chéngyǔ dàjiā dōu zhīdào
Everyone knows the idiom "Near vermilion, one is red; near ink, one is black."
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他从小受良好的教育,近朱者赤,自然成了一个优秀的人才。
tā cóng xiǎo shòu liánghǎo de jiàoyù, jìn zhū zhě chì, zìrán chéng le yīgè yōuxiù de réncái
He received a good education and became a talented person, because he was surrounded by good people.