近墨者黑 (jìn mò zhě hēi) — (idiom) one takes on the color of one's company; environment shapes character; you are the company you keep

Definition

Classic chengyu meaning 'those near ink get stained black' — your environment and companions shape your character, usually used as a warning. Same idea as 近朱者赤, just with a negative spin (good vs. bad influence).

idiom
one takes on the color of one's companyenvironment shapes characteryou are the company you keep

Examples

  • ，近墨者黑。
    Tā jiāo le yì xiē huài péng you, zhēn shì jìn mò zhě hēi.
    He made some bad friends — truly, near ink, one turns black.
  • “近墨者黑”，。
    Gǔ rén shuō "jìn mò zhě hēi", suǒ yǐ xuǎn zé péng you yào jǐn shèn.
    The ancients said, 'Near ink, one turns black,' so you must be careful in choosing friends.
  • ，近墨者黑。
    Zhè ge hái zi běn lái hěn yōu xiù, dàn hòu lái yīn wèi huán jìng bù hǎo ér jìn mò zhě hēi le.
    This child was originally excellent, but later turned black because of a bad environment.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
斤
斤jīn近jìn
Same sound today

近 combines 辶, a walking radical, with 斤, which gives the sound. The walking part fits the idea of moving close to something.

Open 近 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔsoil
Sound part声符shēngfú
黑
黑hēi墨mò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

墨 is built from 土 (soil) and 黑, with 黑 giving the sound.

Open 墨 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 者 originally drew a sugarcane with full stems, small points around it, and an open smiling mouth at the bottom.

Open 者 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 黑 seems to come from drawing a head marked with dots, usually read as facial tattoos.

Open 黑 →

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