Dictionary › 宁缺毋滥

宁缺毋滥

nìng quē wú làn

4-character word Traditional 寧缺毋濫

What 宁缺毋滥 means

1. better to have nothing (than substandard choice) (idiom); would prefer to go without than accept shoddy option

The characters in 宁缺毋滥

• 宁nìngwould rather; to prefer; how (emphatic)
• 缺quēdeficiency; lack; scarce
• 毋wú(literary) no; don't; to not have
• 滥lànoverflowing; excessive; indiscriminate

Example sentences

• 书和朋友应该是宁缺毋滥。
  Shū hé péngyou yīnggāi shì nìngquēwúlàn.
  Books and friends should be few but good.