得寸进尺
得寸进尺 (dé cùn jìn chǐ) literally means “gain inch advance foot” and expresses “take advantage by demanding increasingly more”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: de cun jin chi, de cun jin chi,得寸进尺 meaning, 得寸进尺 in english
Take advantage by demanding increasingly more
Pronunciation: dé cùn jìn chǐ Literal meaning: Gain inch advance foot
Origin & Usage
This descends from the Warring States, where the strategist Fan Ju advises the king of Qin that under a policy of attacking near neighbours, an inch (寸) gained (得) is the king's inch and a foot (尺) advanced (进) is the king's foot. Taken as advice it is about consolidation; used as an idiom it has soured, and now describes someone who treats each concession as a base for the next demand. Modern usage is always disapproving.
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
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
百尺竿头
bǎi chǐ gān tóu
Already at a very high level of attainment
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肝肠寸断
gān cháng cùn duàn
Extreme sorrow
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寸步难行
cùn bù nán xíng
Unable to move forward at all
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知难而进
zhī nán ér jìn
Press on despite awareness of challenges
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急流勇进
jí liú yǒng jìn
Advance boldly through difficulty
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循序渐进
xún xù jiàn jìn
Progress step by step
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以退为进
yǐ tuì wéi jìn
Strategic retreat for ultimate victory
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亡羊得牛
wáng yáng dé niú
A small loss that yields a greater gain
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 得寸进尺 mean in English?
得寸进尺 (dé cùn jìn chǐ) literally translates to “Gain inch advance foot” and is used to express “Take advantage by demanding increasingly more”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 得寸进尺 used?
Situation: After the small concession was granted, he immediately demanded much more
What is the pinyin for 得寸进尺?
The pinyin pronunciation for 得寸进尺 is “dé cùn jìn chǐ”.