自身難保自身不保zì shēn nán bǎobe unable even to protect (/fend for) oneself; cannot even be sure of one’s own safety
? 我們～，還去理他？(杜鵬程 《保衛(wèi)延安》 113) We′re not even sure whether we can take care of ourselves without having to worry about him!/豈不聞古人說的 ‘大丈夫相時而動’，又說 ‘趨吉避兇者為君子’，依老爺這話，不但不能報效朝廷，亦且自身不保：……(《紅樓夢》46) Haven’t you heard the old saying “The man of spirit shapes his actions to the passing moment”？ And there’s another old saying: “It is the mark of a gentleman to avoid what is inauspicious.” If you were to act in accordance with what you have just said,not noly would you not be able to show your gratitude to the Emperor,but also you would probably put your own life in danger. 自身難保zì shēn nán bǎo連自己的生命恐怕都保不住。be unable to fend for oneself, be unable even to protect or fend for oneself |