守株待兔

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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