vô độc bất trượng phu

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

No ruthlessness, no great man — the cynic's rule that greatness requires a hard heart.

Literally: without venom, not a great man
Sources & notes

Discovered via Vietnamese Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.

Common questions

What does “vô độc bất trượng phu” mean?

No ruthlessness, no great man — the cynic's rule that greatness requires a hard heart. Literally: without venom, not a great man

Is “vô độc bất trượng phu” formal or informal?

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