Yǒu lǐ, sān biǎndan; wú lǐ, biǎndan sān.

有理三扁擔, 無理扁擔三。

Lit [If one] is in the right, [one gets hit] three [times with a] pole; [and if one is] not in the right, [one gets the] pole three [strokes].

Fig One is punished all the same whether one is right or wrong.

Note [A rhyme originally referring to law cases in traditional China in which the poor could never win a lawsuit; now referring to the settlement of any case in this manner.]

Topics COURTS LAWSUITS PUNISHMENT rhyme RIGHT WRONG