三纲五常

sān gāng wǔ cháng

three principles and five virtues (idiom)

the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信)

三

sān

three

纲

gāng

head rope of a fishing net

五

wǔ

five

常

cháng

always