10 Chinese Idioms Every Entrepreneur Should Know
Essential Chinese idioms for startup founders, entrepreneurs, and business owners about risk, vision, and building from nothing.
Building a business from scratch requires the same qualities celebrated in ancient Chinese wisdom - vision, persistence, calculated risk, and the courage to do what others won't.
一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rénSudden, remarkable success
Literal: Bird cry that startles all
This idiom emerged during the Han Dynasty in scholarly discourse about late-blooming talent. The image of a seemingly ordinary bird (鸣, cry) suddenly producing an extraordinary song that startles (惊) everyone (人) was inspired by the story of a rural scholar who, after years of obscurity, stunned the...
Example
After years of quiet preparation, his novel became an overnight sensation
经过多年默默准备，他的小说一夜成名
百折不挠
bǎi zhé bù náoUnshakeable despite adversity
Literal: Bend hundred times never yield
Dating to the Warring States period, this idiom describes bamboo that bends a hundred (百) times (折) but never (不) yields (挠). The imagery comes from ancient observations of bamboo groves surviving severe storms by bending rather than breaking. The metaphor gained particular significance during the T...
Example
Despite numerous rejections, she never gave up on her dreams
尽管屡次被拒绝，她从未放弃梦想
水滴石穿
shuǐ dī shí chuānPersistence achieves anything
Literal: Water drops pierce stone
This idiom captures the power of persistence through the image of water (水) drops (滴) piercing (穿) stone (石). First documented in Han Dynasty texts, it was inspired by observations of natural cave formations created by centuries of dripping water. The imagery gained prominence during the Tang Dynast...
Example
With consistent practice, she finally mastered the difficult skill
通过持续练习，她终于掌握了这项难度很大的技能
改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèngReturn to righteousness
Literal: Turn from wrong return to right
Emerging from Buddhist texts during the Eastern Han Dynasty, this idiom describes the journey of turning away (改) from wrong (邪) to return (归) to righteousness (正). The metaphor draws from astronomical observations where wandering stars return to their proper paths. It gained prominence during the T...
Example
After the scandal, the company implemented strict ethical guidelines
在丑闻之后，公司实施了严格的道德准则
破釜沉舟
pò fǔ chén zhōuCommit with no retreat
Literal: Break pots sink boats
Originating from a famous historical event in 207 BCE, this idiom recounts how general Xiang Yu ordered his troops to break (破) their cooking pots (釜) and sink (沉) their boats (舟) before battling the Qin army. By eliminating the possibility of retreat, he created absolute commitment to victory. Duri...
Example
He quit his job to start a business, fully committed to success
他辞去工作创业，全身心投入追求成功
四面楚歌
sì miàn chǔ gēSurrounded by hostility
Literal: Chu songs from four sides
This poignant idiom originates from the final battle of Xiang Yu in 202 BCE. Surrounded by Han forces at Gaixia, Xiang Yu heard songs (歌) from his homeland of Chu being sung from all four sides (四面), indicating his own people had surrendered to Liu Bang. The psychological warfare strategy proved dev...
Example
The small company found itself facing competition from all sides
这家小公司发现自己四面受敌
事半功倍
shì bàn gōng bèiLess effort, better results
Literal: Half effort double result
This mathematical idiom describes situations where half (半) the effort (事) yields double (倍) the result (功). First appearing in Han Dynasty agricultural texts, it originally described efficient farming techniques that maximized yield while minimizing labor. The concept gained broader application dur...
Example
Using the new software doubled her productivity
使用新软件使她的工作效率提高了一倍
时来运转
shí lái yùn zhuǎnFortune's wheel will turn.
Literal: Time comes and fortune turns
This optimistic idiom describes the moment when time arrives (时来) and fortune turns (运转). It emerged from the practice of divination during the Zhou Dynasty, where fortune was seen as cyclical rather than fixed. The concept gained particular resonance during the Tang Dynasty, as stories spread of sc...
Example
After years of struggle, his business finally found its market opportunity
经过多年的奋斗，他的企业终于找到了市场机会
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
厚积薄发
hòu jī bó fāSuccess after long preparation
Literal: Thick accumulation thin launch
This idiom compares patient accumulation (积) of deep (厚) knowledge with the eventual release (发) that requires minimal (薄) effort. It emerged during the Tang Dynasty literary circles, where scholars emphasized sustained preparation over hasty creation. Historical accounts describe how poet Du Fu spe...
Example
After years of quiet research, her breakthrough theory revolutionized the field
经过多年的默默研究，她的突破性理论彻底革新了这个领域
Quick Reference
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