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噤若寒蝉 jìnruòhánchán
释义
原指像冬季的蝉那样停止鸣叫，后比喻因害怕有所顾虑而不敢说话，含贬义。
英译
Keep quiet out of fear
出处
《后汉书·杜密传》：“刘胜位为大夫，见礼上宾，而知善不荐，闻恶无言，隐情惜己，自同寒蝉，此罪人也。”
近义词
缄口结舌、守口如瓶
反义词
口若悬河、侃侃而谈
典故
东汉杜密在任太守期间为政清廉，执法严明。随着年岁渐高，杜密告老还乡。他回到家乡颖川郡后，仍爱憎分明，关心国家大事。他经常拜访颍川的太守和阳城县令等地方官员，一起议论天下大事，向当地官员推荐好人好事，揭发坏人坏事。同郡的刘胜虽也是告官还乡的太守，却闭门谢客，对世事不闻不问。
有一次，杜密又来到颖川太守王昱的府上反映乡间的一些情况。谈起刘胜的情况，王昱称赞刘胜是个“清高之士”，是个“好好先生”，表示其对乡里的事情不闻不问的晚年生活方式颇受地方官员们的称赞。杜密回答：“刘胜虽然地位很高，但他对贤士不推荐，对坏事不指责，只求保全自己，像冬天的蝉一样不声不响。这种人其实是社会的罪人。”
听了这番话，王昱这才看出杜密以天下为己任的博大胸怀。在惭愧之余，他更加敬重杜密的高风亮节。
此后，“噤若寒蝉”用来比喻因害怕有顾虑而不敢说话，含有贬义色彩。
Du Mi is an honest and upright prefect in the Eastern Han Dynasty. As he grew older, Du Mi resigned from office and returned to his native town. After going back to his hometown of Yingchuan County, he still drew a clear distinction between whom or what to love or hate and cared about national affairs. He often visited local officials such as the prefect of Yingchuan and the county magistrates of Yangcheng to discuss the national major events, recommend people with potential to local officials, and expose bad people and phenomena. Although Liu Sheng in the same county was also a prefect who returned to his hometown, he closed the door and refused the guests, leaving him alone.
On one occasion, Du Mi came to the residence of the prefect of Yingchuan Wang Yu again to reflect some situations in the countryside. Speaking to Du Mi about Liu Sheng's situation, Wang Yu praised him as a person of morally lofty and he was quite commented by local officials for his life style in his old age when he ignored things in the village. Du Mi replied,"Although Liu Sheng has a high status, he does not recommend the talented and does not blame bad things. He just asks to protect himself and is silent like a cicada in winter. This kind of person is actually a ‘no-hopers’ in society."
After listening to what Du Mi said, Wang Yu found Du Mi's broad mindset with the world as his duty. Apart from being ashamed, he respected Du Mi's sharp sense of integrity even more. Afterwards, "噤若寒蝉" is used to mean someone keeping his/her mouth shut.