明哲保身

míngzhébǎoshēn
  1. a wise man looks after his own hide (idiom)
  2. to put one's own safety before matters of principle

CEDICT

  1. to protect oneself above all other considerations; to place one's own interests at the foremost
  2. to protect or defend oneself with wisdom and sound judgement

Wiktionary

明達事理、洞見時勢的人，不參與會帶給自己危險的事。語本《詩經．大雅．烝民》：「既明且哲，以保其身。」後亦指為了個人得失而喪失原則的庸俗處世態度。明．梁辰魚《浣紗記．第一二齣》：「但大仇既報，吾願已畢。今欲飄然去國，明哲保身，省得落于奸臣之手。」

重編國語辭典

  1. 明達事理、洞見時勢的人，不參與會帶給自己危險的事
  2. 為了個人得失而喪失原則的庸俗處世態度

維基詞典

Entry Composition

1 明哲 míngzhé
  1. (literary) wise; sensible; enlightened
  2. wise; sensible; enlightened
2 保身 bǎoshēn
  1. (literary) to protect oneself
  2. (～卦) A combination 四中 in the Lingqijing.
  3. A combination 四中 in the Lingqijing.
  4. to protect oneself