Correct
当官不为民做主，不如回家卖红薯
/ dāng guān bù wéi mín zuò zhǔ, bù rú huí jiā mài hóng shǔ /
Strokes
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Collocation
1
俗话说当官不为民做主，不如回家卖红薯
2
大家都说当官不为民做主，不如回家卖红薯
3
你当官不为民做主，不如回家卖红薯
Definition
当官不为民做主，不如回家卖红薯
Literally means:
an official who does not serve the people should resign office and be a peddler selling sweet potatoes in his hometown
Actually means:
a government official should serve th people whole-heartedly
回家卖红薯 here refers to being an ordinary person with no official ranks. This phrase means that an official is supposed to serve and benefit the people. If this principle is violated, it is meaningless for one to be an official, so he should resign his position. It is often used to encourage or admonish officials.
回家卖红薯，这里指当普通老百姓。指做官的目的是为替老百姓办事，是造福老百姓，如果违背了这个目的，就失去了做官的意义，就不该再做官了。常用来勉励或告诫当官者。
Example
Used as predicate, a minor sentence or object. (作谓语、小句、宾语)
1
Tā
他
dāng
当
le
了
hǎojǐ
好几
nián
年
de
的
shìzhǎng
市长
le
了
,
kěshì
可是
méi
没
gěi
给
lǎobǎixìng
老百姓
zuò
做
guò
过
jī
几
jiàn
件
yǒu
有
yìyì
意义
de
的
shì
事
。
Suǒyǐ
所以
dàjiā
大家
dōu
都
shuō
说
,
tā
他
dāngguān
当官
bù
不
wéi
为
mín
民
zuòzhǔ
做主
,
bùrú
不如
huíjiā
回家
mài
卖
hóngshǔ
红薯
。
He has been mayor for several years, but he hasn't done anything meaningful to the common people. So we all say that he is not in charge of the people when he is in office, it is better to go home and sell sweet potatoes.
2
Dāngguān
当官
bù
不
wéi
为
mín
民
zuòzhǔ
做主
,
bùrú
不如
huíjiā
回家
mài
卖
hóngshǔ
红薯
。
Tā
他
rènwéi
认为
zìjǐ
自己
jìrán
既然
bù
不
néng
能
fāhuī
发挥
yīngyǒu
应有
de
的
zuòyòng
作用
,
zhège
这个
guān
官
zài
再
dāng
当
xiàqù
下去
jiù
就
méiyǒu
没有
yìsi
意思
le
了
。
When officials are not in charge of the people, it is better to go home and sell sweet potatoes. He thought that since he could not play his due role, it would be no fun for the official to stay on.
3
Súhuàshuō
俗话说
,
dāngguān
当官
bù
不
wéi
为
mín
民
zuòzhǔ
做主
,
bùrú
不如
huíjiā
回家
mài
卖
hóngshǔ
红薯
。
Yào
要
zuòguān
做官
jiù
就
yīdìng
一定
yào
要
zuòhǎo
做好
guān
官
,
shíshízàizài
实实在在
wéi
为
lǎobǎixìng
老百姓
zuò
做
shíshì
实事
,
fǒuzé
否则
,
háishi
还是
biè
别
dāngguān
当官
。
As the saying goes, when officials are not in charge of the people, it is better to go home and sell sweet potatoes. To be an official must do a good job of officials, really do practical things for the common people, otherwise, or do not be an official.