10 Chinese Idioms About Leadership & Management
Ancient Chinese wisdom on leadership, guiding others, and the qualities of effective leaders and managers.
Chinese philosophy offers profound insights on leadership that remain relevant today. These idioms capture the essence of effective leadership - from strategic thinking to inspiring others.
运筹帷幄
yùn chóu wéi wòPlan strategy carefully
Literal: Plan behind curtain
Rooted in military strategy, this idiom describes making crucial decisions behind the curtains (帷幄) of a military command tent while planning (运筹) campaigns. It gained prominence through records of Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasty, who was praised for his strategic planning abilities within his ...
Example
The CEO quietly developed the company's expansion strategy
首席执行官在幕后静静地制定公司的扩张战略
迫在眉睫
pò zài méi jiéExtremely urgent
Literal: Urgent as brow and lash
This visceral idiom describes urgency so pressing (迫) it's between (在) the eyebrows (眉) and eyelashes (睫). Its earliest recorded use comes from Tang Dynasty military dispatches, where commanders needed to convey the immediate nature of threats. The anatomical metaphor was chosen deliberately - the s...
Example
The deadline was so close that immediate action was necessary
截止日期迫在眉睫，需要立即采取行动
步步为营
bù bù wéi yíngAdvance methodically with caution
Literal: Each step make camp
This strategic approach emerged from Han Dynasty military manuals, describing armies that established (为) a secure camp (营) with each step (步步) of their advance. The tactic gained fame during the Three Kingdoms period when general Cao Cao used it to campaign through difficult terrain. Unlike rapid d...
Example
The company expanded cautiously, securing each market before moving to the next
公司谨慎扩张，在进军下一个市场前先稳固每一个市场
旁敲侧击
páng qiāo cè jīApproach indirectly to achieve goal
Literal: Knock side hit flank
This subtle approach describes knocking (敲) from the side (旁) and striking (击) from the flank (侧) rather than direct confrontation, originating from Tang Dynasty military strategy. It first appeared in texts discussing how to defeat superior forces through indirect attacks on vulnerabilities rather ...
Example
The journalist used indirect questions to uncover the sensitive information
记者使用间接问题来揭示敏感信息
暗度陈仓
àn dù chén cāngAchieve secretly through misdirection
Literal: Secretly cross Chencang
This strategic idiom refers to secretly (暗) crossing/passing (度) through Chencang (陈仓), originating from Han Xin's famous military maneuver during the Chu-Han contention (206-202 BCE). Historical records describe how Han Xin pretended to repair roads in one location while secretly moving troops thro...
Example
The company quietly developed the technology while competitors focused elsewhere
当竞争对手将注意力集中在其他地方时，该公司悄悄地开发了这项技术
釜底抽薪
fǔ dǐ chōu xīnEliminate root cause of problem
Literal: Remove firewood under pot
This practical idiom describes removing (抽) firewood (薪) from under (底) a cooking pot (釜), originating from Wei-Jin period practical wisdom. Unlike dramatic interventions, it emphasized solving problems by eliminating their underlying causes. The cooking metaphor resonated deeply in Chinese culture,...
Example
The new policy addressed the root causes rather than just treating symptoms
新政策解决了根本原因，而不仅仅是治标不治本
本末倒置
běn mò dào zhìPrioritize minor over fundamental matters
Literal: Root branch reversed position
This organizational idiom criticizes reversing (倒置) the proper order of root/fundamental (本) and branch/peripheral matters (末), originating from Han Dynasty governance texts. It first appeared in discussions about administrative priorities, warning officials against focusing on secondary issues whil...
Example
The project focused on minor details while neglecting the core objectives
项目专注于次要细节，而忽视了核心目标
隔靴搔痒
gé xuē sāo yǎngIneffective indirect solution
Literal: Scratch itch through boot
This frustrating idiom describes scratching (搔) an itch (痒) through (隔) a boot (靴), originating from Song Dynasty vernacular literature. It first appeared in stories illustrating the futility of indirect solutions to immediate problems. The image created a perfect metaphor for ineffective efforts th...
Example
The vague explanation failed to address the underlying problem
这个模糊的解释未能解决根本问题
买椟还珠
mǎi dú huán zhūValuing packaging over content
Literal: Buy case, return pearl
This misguided idiom describes buying (买) a decorative box (椟) but returning (还) the pearl (珠) inside, originating from the Warring States period text 'Han Feizi.' It tells of a merchant from Chu who offered a valuable pearl in a beautifully carved box. The buyer from Zheng was so captivated by the ...
Example
The collector purchased the elaborate frame but returned the valuable painting it contained
收藏家购买了精美的画框，却退回了其中的名贵画作
过犹不及
guò yóu bù jíModeration in all things
Literal: Excess equals deficiency
This balanced idiom states that going too far (过) is just as (犹) problematic as not reaching far enough (不及), originating from Confucius's teachings in the Analects. The concept formed a cornerstone of Confucian moderation philosophy, where extremes in either direction were considered equally flawed...
Example
The excessive marketing campaign alienated customers instead of attracting them
过度的营销活动疏远了顾客，而不是吸引他们
Quick Reference
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