鱼龙混杂 mixed
Explanation
形容好人坏人混杂在一起，也比喻各种不同的人或事物混杂在一起。
It describes a mixture of good and bad people, but also a mixture of various kinds of people or things.
Origin Story
春秋时期，吴国和楚国经常发生战争。吴王阖庐听信了伍子胥的计策，准备攻打楚国。伍子胥对吴王说："楚国现在鱼龙混杂，朝中大臣贪婪腐败，百姓民不聊生。这是一个千载难逢的好机会，我们一定要乘胜追击，一举攻下楚国！"吴王听后，立刻下令大军出征，最终取得了胜利，一举攻破了楚国的都城。这个故事说明，在复杂的局势下，要善于辨别是非，抓住机会，才能取得成功。但是，我们也需要警惕，鱼龙混杂的环境容易让人迷失方向，要保持清醒的头脑，才能做出正确的判断。
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the state of Wu and Chu often waged war. King Helü of Wu, heeding Wu Zixu's strategy, prepared to attack Chu. Wu Zixu told King Helü: "Chu is currently a chaotic mix of good and bad people. Court officials are greedy and corrupt, and the people are suffering. This is a rare opportunity; we must take advantage of it to attack Chu!" King Helü, after hearing this, immediately ordered the army to march, ultimately achieving victory and conquering Chu's capital. This story illustrates that in complex situations, one must discern right from wrong and seize opportunities to succeed. However, we also need to be wary; a chaotic environment can easily cause one to lose direction. Maintaining a clear mind allows one to make the correct judgment.
Usage
常用来形容各种各样的人或事物混杂在一起，多指坏人和好人混杂在一起。
It is often used to describe a mixture of various people or things, often in the sense of good and bad people mixing together.
Examples
-
这市场鱼龙混杂，小心上当。
zhè shìchǎng yúlónghùnzá, xiǎoxīn shàngdàng.
This market is mixed with good and bad people, be careful not to be cheated.
-
招聘会上鱼龙混杂，真假难辨。
zhāopìn huì shàng yúlónghùnzá, zhēnjiǎ nánbiàn
The job fair is full of various people; it is hard to tell the difference between the true and the false ones.