举棋不定
举棋不定 (jǔ qí bù dìng) literally means “lift chess piece undecided” and expresses “indecisive hesitation”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: ju qi bu ding, ju qi bu ding,举棋不定 meaning, 举棋不定 in english
Indecisive hesitation
Pronunciation: jǔ qí bù dìng Literal meaning: Lift chess piece undecided
Origin & Usage
The Zuo Zhuan reports a warning about a minister wavering over whether to restore an exiled ruler: a man who lifts (举) the chess piece (棋) without having settled (不定) on his move will not beat his opponent, and how much more so when the piece is a lord. The image assumes the reader knows the game — the hand is already committed and the mind is not. Hesitation at exactly that point, after acting and before choosing, which is the worst available moment.
Examples
English: "He was so unsure about his next step in the project that he kept hesitating, unable to make a decision."
Chinese: 他对项目的下一步举棋不定，始终无法做出决定。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
人定胜天
rén dìng shèng tiān
Human effort can overcome nature
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举世闻名
jǔ shì wén míng
Global recognition
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举世瞩目
jǔ shì zhǔ mù
Global attention
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自不量力
zì bù liàng lì
Overestimate abilities
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惊心动魄
jīng xīn dòng pò
Thrilling, hair-raising
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朝三暮四
zhāo sān mù sì
Fickle and inconsistent
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顾此失彼
gù cǐ shī bǐ
Unable to cover everything at once
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好高骛远
hào gāo wù yuǎn
Unrealistic aspirations
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 举棋不定 mean in English?
举棋不定 (jǔ qí bù dìng) literally translates to “Lift chess piece undecided” and is used to express “Indecisive hesitation”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 举棋不定 used?
Situation: He was so unsure about his next step in the project that he kept hesitating, unable to make a decision.
What is the pinyin for 举棋不定?
The pinyin pronunciation for 举棋不定 is “jǔ qí bù dìng”.
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