8 Chinese Idioms With Foot (足)
Grounded Chinese idioms featuring the foot - about standing firm, traveling, and taking the first step.
The foot (足, zú) in Chinese idioms represents journeys, foundations, and the importance of taking action. These expressions teach about standing firm and taking that crucial first step.
好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láoLove ease, hate work
Literal: Love ease hate work
This idiom describes the human tendency to love (好) ease (逸) and hate (恶) work (劳). First appearing in pre-Qin philosophical texts, it was used by Mencius to warn against the natural but problematic inclination toward comfort over effort. The phrase gained particular significance during the Song Dyn...
Example
The team's productivity suffered from members who avoided challenging tasks
团队中有人喜欢偷懒避难，影响了工作效率
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
逆水行舟
nì shuǐ xíng zhōuProgress needs constant effort
Literal: Boat moving against current
This idiom describes a boat (舟) moving (行) against (逆) the current (水), originally appearing in Tang Dynasty texts discussing persistence in difficult endeavors. The metaphor draws from the experience of river traders who understood that stopping meant drifting backward. During the Song Dynasty, it ...
Example
In this competitive industry, you must keep improving or fall behind
在这个竞争激烈的行业，你必须不断进步，否则就会落后
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
枕石漱流
zhěn shí shù liúEndure hardship for goals
Literal: Pillow stone rinse stream
Drawing from the biography of the recluse-scholar Xu You, who chose to pillow (枕) on stones (石) and rinse (漱) his mouth with flowing (流) stream water rather than accept a position at court during the Yao period. This Wei-Jin period idiom embodied the classical Chinese ideal of maintaining personal i...
Example
The researcher lived modestly while dedicating everything to his work
研究员过着简朴的生活，把一切都投入到研究工作中
玉汝于成
yù rǔ yú chéngPerfect through careful work
Literal: Jade becomes perfect
Originally appearing in the Classic of Poetry, this idiom references the painstaking process of jade (玉) craftsmanship, where the stone becomes (成) perfected through careful work (汝). Ancient craftsmen observed that jade's true beauty emerged only through patient, deliberate cultivation. During the ...
Example
The artisan spent years perfecting his craftsmanship
这位工匠花了多年时间完善他的工艺
老马识途
lǎo mǎ shí túExperience brings wisdom
Literal: Old horse knows way
Dating back to the Zhou Dynasty, this idiom comes from the story of Duke Mu of Qin who, lost in unfamiliar territory, relied on an old horse (老马) to find their way (识途) home through a snowstorm. The horse, having traversed these paths in its youth, remembered the safe routes despite years passing. O...
Example
The veteran guide easily found the path in difficult terrain
经验丰富的向导在困难地形中轻松找到道路
万马奔腾
wàn mǎ bēn téngPowerful unstoppable momentum
Literal: Ten thousand horses galloping
This dynamic idiom envisions ten thousand (万) horses (马) galloping (奔腾) together, originating from Tang Dynasty military descriptions. It first appeared in chronicles describing the impressive cavalry forces of border generals, where the thundering hooves created both visual and auditory spectacle. ...
Example
After the announcement, the stock market surged with unprecedented trading volume
公告发布后，股市以前所未有的交易量飙升
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