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[–] 30 points 1 year ago (1 child)

因噎廢食 (īnyēfèishí)

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%9B%A0%E5%99%8E%E5%BB%A2%E9%A3%9F

This is a Chinese proverb meaning "to avoid something essential because of a slight risk of making a mistake." Literally it means "to not eat due to the risk of choking on food."

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    To quote from Wiktionary:

    夫有以饐死者,欲禁天下之食,悖;有以乘舟死者,欲禁天下之船,悖;有以用兵喪其國者,欲偃天下之兵,悖。

    It is nonsense to forbid the world’s people to eat just because one person has choked to death when eating; it is nonsense to put the world's boats in disuse just because someone has drowned while sailing; it is also nonsense to eliminate the world's military forces just because one sovereign has lost his state due to his military action

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