# 害群之马

hài qún zhī mǎ

Someone whose misconduct harms the whole group

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** A horse that harms its herd

**Traditional Chinese:** 害群之馬

**Register:** Critical · expressive

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Describe a member damaging group safety or reputation.

A severe label; distinguish misconduct from harmless difference.

## Understanding the expression

A group depends on members being considerate of shared needs. The horse in this expression represents someone whose conduct makes the group's work more difficult. It can describe repeated disregard of common resources or deliberate disruption of an agreed activity. The phrase is a strong criticism, so a concrete example should support it. Being different from other members does not make someone a problem; the issue is behavior that substantially interferes with others, not an unusual personality.

## Examples

那名作弊者成了球队的害群之马。

### Traditional Chinese

那名作弊者成了球隊的害群之馬。

nà míng zuò bì zhě chéng le qiú duì de hài qún zhī mǎ 。

The cheater became a harmful member of the team.

协会开除了侵吞会费的害群之马。

### Traditional Chinese

協會開除了侵吞會費的害群之馬。

xié huì kāi chú le qīn tūn huì fèi de hài qún zhī mǎ 。

The association expelled the member who harmed it by embezzling dues.

不要把意见不同的人当作害群之马。

### Traditional Chinese

不要把意見不同的人當作害群之馬。

bú yào bǎ yì jiàn bù tóng de rén dàng zuò hài qún zhī mǎ 。

Do not label people with different opinions as harmful to the group.

害群之马的欺诈行为毁了公司的信誉。

### Traditional Chinese

害群之馬的欺詐行為毀了公司的信譽。

hài qún zhī mǎ de qī zhà xíng wéi huǐ le gōng sī de xìn yù 。

The dishonest member’s fraud destroyed the company’s reputation.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%AE%B3%E7%BE%A4%E4%B9%8B%E9%A6%AC)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=716&webMd=1&la=0)

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