出淤泥而不染 [－－－－－－]

Jyutping ceot1 jyu1 nai4 ji4 bat1 jim5
Pinyin chū yū ní ér bù rǎn

Definitions (CC-CEDICT)
  1. lit. to grow out of the mud unsullied (idiom)
  2. fig. to be principled and incorruptible
Definitions (粵典–words.hk)
  1. 語句
    出自​北宋​周敦​頤​嘅​《​愛​蓮​説​》​，​講蓮花​係​池塘​嘅​淤泥​入面​生出​嚟​，​但​係​都​無受​污染​；​比喻​人​係​黑暗​、​惡​劣​嘅​環​境​入​面​生活​同成長​，​但​係​無​沾染到​腐​敗​嘅​風​氣​，​保持​高​潔​嘅​人格
    an expression describing person retaining noble ideals and upstanding character despite growing up in a corrupt environment, literally "out of filth yet untainted"
Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. phrase, idiomatic
    to rise out of the ghetto and make something of oneself; to have been in bad surroundings without allowing oneself to be affected by them.
Examples (粵典–words.hk)
  1. Cantonese
    出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖
    出淤泥而不染，濯清漣而不妖
    • grew from mud but not polluted, cleaned by clear water but not flirtatious