良禽擇木

良禽择木
liángqínzémù
  1. a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in (proverb)
  2. fig. a talented person chooses a patron of integrity

CEDICT

synonym of 良禽擇木而棲 /良禽择木而栖 (liángqín zé mù ér qī)

Wiktionary

本指好鳥擇木而居。語本《左傳．哀公十一年》：「孔文子將攻大叔也，訪於仲尼。……退命駕而行。曰：『鳥則擇木，木豈能擇鳥！』」後以良禽擇木比喻賢才擇主而事。《三國演義．第一四回》：「寵曰：『豈不聞良禽擇木而棲，賢臣擇主而事？』遇可事之主，而交臂失之，非丈夫也。」也作「良禽擇木而棲」。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 良 liáng
  1. good
  2. very
  3. very much
2 禽 qín
  1. (bound form) birds; fowl
  2. (literary) birds and animals
  3. old variant of 擒 qín
3 擇木 zémù
  1. (literary) to choose one's own master
  2. to choose one's own master

Containing this entry

良禽擇木而棲 liángqínzémùérqī
  1. a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in (proverb)
  2. fig. a talented person chooses a patron of integrity

Related entries

良禽擇木而棲 liángqínzémùérqī
  1. a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in (proverb)
  2. fig. a talented person chooses a patron of integrity
良禽择木而栖，贤臣择主而事。

A prudent bird chooses its tree. A wise servant chooses his master.

Source: Tatoeba