得寸进尺

Pronunciation: dé cùn jìn chǐ Literal meaning: Gain inch advance foot

Origin & Usage

This excessive demand idiom describes gaining an inch (寸) then advancing to demand a foot (尺), originating from Han Dynasty negotiation terminology regarding treaty violations. It first documented how defeated states would make escalating demands after initial concessions, testing victors' resolve. During the Tang Dynasty, it entered domestic contexts describing manipulative interpersonal behavior. The measurement metaphor was particularly concrete—sequential Chinese length units (寸/inch then 尺/foot) created perfect escalation imagery. Unlike terms simply meaning 'greedy,' it specifically addresses strategic incremental escalation rather than general acquisitiveness. The character structure creates tactical progression: '得' establishes initial acquisition, '寸' identifies the small initial gain, '进' introduces forward movement, while '尺' represents the disproportionately larger demand following. Modern usage spans diplomatic negotiation to interpersonal boundaries, describing behavior patterns where initial reasonableness masks long-term expansive intentions, particularly when early compliance strategically enables increasingly unreasonable subsequent demands through psychological commitment mechanisms.

Examples

English: "After the small concession was granted, he immediately demanded much more"

Chinese: 在小让步获准后，他立即要求更多