Tiếng Việt · Proverb Candidate

Thượng bất chính, hạ tác loạn

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Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Meaning · English

When those in power are corrupt, the lower ranks will be in chaos

Literally: Above not correct, below make chaos

Examples

Khi thượng bất chính, hạ tác loạn, đất nước dễ bị suy yếuWhen those in power are corrupt, the lower ranks will be in chaos, the country is easily weakened

AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)

Sources & notes

Headword listed in the vdict.com proverb dictionary index (discovery source; headword only — no source content copied). Entered as candidate 2026-08-05; definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-08-08; pending editor spot-check.

Common questions

What does “Thượng bất chính, hạ tác loạn” mean?

When those in power are corrupt, the lower ranks will be in chaos Literally: Above not correct, below make chaos

Is “Thượng bất chính, hạ tác loạn” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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