秀才拉到香炉里，知理不讲理秀才拉到香爐里，知理不講理秀才拉到香爐里，知理不講理

a scholar relieving himself in the incense burner: knows what's right yet isn't reasonable

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now

May offend: vulgar language

Meaning: Scolds someone who knows better but acts wrongly on purpose. Critical and crude in image.
Wordplay: 理 appears in 知理 ('knows reason') and 讲理 ('be reasonable'); the joke contrasts a learned man's knowledge with his rude act.

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Simplified: 秀才拉到香炉里，知理不讲理
Traditional (Taiwan): 秀才拉到香爐里，知理不講理
Pinyin: xiùcai lā dào xiānglú lǐ, zhī lǐ bù jiǎnglǐ
Bopomofo: ㄒㄧㄡˋ ˙ㄘㄞㄌㄚㄉㄠˋ ㄒㄧㄤㄌㄨˊ ㄌㄧˇ，ㄓㄌㄧˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄤˇ ㄌㄧˇ

Written with HSK 7-9 vocabulary, at CEFR level C1.

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