投鼠忌器 tóu shǔ jì qì 🔊 lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat… + Keep this word Meanings tóu shǔ jì qì lit. to refrain from shooting at the rat for fear of breaking the vases (idiom)to not act against an evil so as to prevent harm to innocents Its characters 投tóuto throw (sth in a specific direction:…HSK 5鼠shǔrat; mouse忌jìto be jealous ofHSK 7–9器qìdevice