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宁缺毋滥

nìng quē wú làndictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
better to have nothing (than substandard choice) (idiom) / would prefer to go without than accept shoddy option
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-01c7f47c86dac924. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

寧缺毋濫 宁缺毋滥 [ning4 que1 wu2 lan4] /better to have nothing (than substandard choice) (idiom); would prefer to go without than accept shoddy option/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 寧缺毋濫

  • 宁
    zhù

    to store / to stand / space between the door and the entrance screen

    nìng

    would rather / to prefer / how (emphatic) / Taiwan pr. [níng]

    níng

    peaceful / to pacify / to visit (one's parents etc)

    Níng

    abbr. for Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 寧夏回族自治區|宁夏回族自治区[Níng xià Huí zú Zì zhì qū] / abbr. for Nanjing 南京[Nán jīng] / surname Ning

  • 缺
    quē

    deficiency / lack / scarce / vacant post / to run short of

  • 毋
    wú

    (literary) no / don't / to not have / nobody

    Wú

    surname Wu

  • 滥
    làn

    overflowing / excessive / indiscriminate

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.