偷安 (tōu ān) — to seek temporary ease at the expense of long-term stability; to be complacent in a precarious situation
Definition
Literary verb meaning 'to seek short-term ease at the cost of long-term safety' — typically about a government or ruler being complacent in a precarious situation. Used almost exclusively in formal or historical writing.
verb
to seek temporary ease at the expense of long-term stabilityto be complacent in a precarious situation
Examples
- 偷安，。Cháo tíng bù néng tōu ān, bì xū jiā qiáng biān fáng.The court cannot seek temporary ease; it must strengthen border defenses.
- ，。Zhè ge zhèng fǔ zhǐ gù tōu yì shí zhī ān, bú gù cháng yuǎn fā zhǎn.This government only cares about temporary ease, ignoring long-term development.
- ，。Tā men tōu le jǐ nián ān, zuì zhōng fù chū le dài jià.They sought ease for a few years, and ultimately paid the price.
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