守株待兔
守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) literally means “guard tree wait rabbit” and expresses “wait passively for luck”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: shou zhu dai tu, shou zhu dai tu,守株待兔 meaning, 守株待兔 in english
Wait passively for luck
Pronunciation: shǒu zhū dài tù
Literal meaning: Guard tree wait rabbit
Origin & Usage
This Warring States period parable tells of a farmer who, after seeing a rabbit die by running into a tree stump (株), waited (待) endlessly for more rabbits (兔) at the same spot. His guard (守) of the stump became a classic example of misguided persistence and inflexible thinking. The story appeared in various philosophical texts as a warning against relying on chance success rather than adaptable strategy. Today, it cautions against rigid methodologies and the failure to evolve strategies with changing circumstances.
Examples
English: "Instead of developing new skills, he just waited for promotions to come"
Chinese: 他没有提升技能，只是等待升职机会
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 守株待兔 mean in English?
守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) literally translates to “Guard tree wait rabbit” and is used to express “Wait passively for luck”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 守株待兔 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving wait passively for luck.
What is the pinyin for 守株待兔?
The pinyin pronunciation for 守株待兔 is “shǒu zhū dài tù”.