金无足赤 jīn wú zú chì Gold is not without flaw

Explanation

足赤：成色十足的金子。比喻人不可能十全十美，完美无缺。

Pure gold: Gold of the best quality. Illustrates that people cannot be flawless.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有一位名叫李白的诗仙，他的诗歌才华横溢，被世人奉为天才。然而，即使是如此杰出的诗人，也并非完美无缺。他性格豪放不羁，喜好饮酒，常常因为饮酒过度而做出一些让人啼笑皆非的事情。一次，他与朋友们在酒楼畅饮，兴致勃勃地作诗一首，其中有一句写道："金樽清酒斗十千，玉盘珍羞直万钱。"朋友们纷纷赞赏他的诗才，但一位老学究却摇头说道："金无足赤，人无完人，即使是李白的诗歌，也有不足之处啊！"李白听后，不仅没有生气，反而哈哈大笑，说道："老先生说得有理，我这人确实有很多缺点，还需要继续努力啊！"

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu yī wèi míng jiào lǐ bái de shī xiān, tā de shīgē cái huá héng yì, bèi shì rén fèng wéi tiāncái。rán ér, jíshǐ shì rúcǐ jié chū de shī rén, yě bìng fēi wán měi wú quē。tā xìnggé háo fàng bù jī, xǐhào yǐn jiǔ, cháng cháng yīnwèi yǐn jiǔ guòdù ér zuò chū yīxiē ràng rén tí xiào jiē fēi de shì qing。yī cì, tā yǔ péngyǒu men zài jiǔ lóu chàng yǐn, xīng zhì bó bó dì zuò shī yī shǒu, qízhōng yǒu yī jù xiě dào：'jīn zūn qīng jiǔ dòu shí qiān, yù pán zhēn xiū zhí wàn qián。' péngyǒu men fēnfēn zànshǎng tā de shī cái, dàn yī wèi lǎo xué jiù què yáo tóu shuō dào：'jīn wú zú chì, rén wú wán rén, jíshǐ shì lǐ bái de shīgē, yě yǒu bùzú zhī chù a！' lǐ bái tīng hòu, bù jǐn méiyǒu shēng qì, fǎn'ér hāhā dà xiào, shuō dào：'lǎo xiānshēng shuō de yǒulǐ, wǒ zhè rén quèshí yǒu hěn duō quēdiǎn, hái xūyào jìxù nǔlì a！'

In the Tang Dynasty, there was a famous poet named Li Bai, whose poems were full of immense beauty and talent. However, even this outstanding poet was not perfect. He had an unconventional character, loved to drink, and often lost control due to excessive alcohol consumption, doing embarrassing things. Once, he was drinking with friends at a tavern, and in his excitement, he wrote a poem, saying: "A golden goblet of fine wine costs ten thousand, a plate of delicacies is worth ten thousand." His friends praised his talent, but an old scholar shook his head and said, "Gold is not flawless, and people are not without flaws. Even Li Bai's poems have their shortcomings!" Li Bai was not angry, but laughed and said, "The old gentleman is right, I really have many shortcomings, and I still need to continue to work hard!"

Usage

用于形容人不可能十全十美，告诫人们要客观地看待自身和他人。

yòng yú xíngróng rén bù kěnéng shí quán shí měi, gàojiè rénmen yào kèguān de kàndài zìshēn hé tārén。

Used to describe that people cannot be perfect, and to warn people against an overly objective view of themselves and others.

Examples

• 人非圣贤，孰能无过？金无足赤，人无完人。

  rén fēi shèngxián, shú néng wú guò？jīn wú zú chì, rén wú wán rén。

  No one is perfect. Even gold is not entirely pure, and humans are not without flaws.

• 虽然他很优秀，但金无足赤，人无完人，他也有不足之处。

  suīrán tā hěn yōuxiù, dàn jīn wú zú chì, rén wú wán rén, tā yě yǒu bùzú zhī chù。

  Although he is excellent, but no one is perfect, he also has shortcomings. Even gold is not entirely pure, and humans are not without flaws

Related Idioms

• 人无完人

• 瑕不掩瑜

Opposite Idioms

• 完美无缺

• 十全十美