8 Chinese Idioms With the Number Nine (九)

Words carry great weight

Literal: Words heavy as nine cauldrons

During the Zhou Dynasty, nine sacred bronze cauldrons (鼎) symbolized imperial authority. This idiom equates a single (一) word (言) with the weight of these nine (九) vessels, emphasizing extraordinary trustworthiness. The historical bronze dings required immense strength to move, making them perfect m...

Very high probability at about 80-90 percent

Literal: Ten has eight nine

Song Dynasty scholars, debating the nature of probability, gave us this precise way of expressing likelihood - that out of ten cases (十), eight or nine (八九) will occur as expected. The phrase offered a mathematical precision between absolute certainty and mere possibility. Ming Dynasty merchants ado...

A drop in the bucket; negligible amount

Literal: One hair from nine oxen

This idiom comes from a letter written by the great Han Dynasty historian Sima Qian (司马迁) to his friend Ren An. After being castrated as punishment for defending a disgraced general, Sima Qian wrote that his death would be as insignificant as losing one hair from nine oxen - utterly negligible in th...

Keep promises faithfully

Literal: One promise thousand gold

Emerging from the Spring and Autumn period, this idiom equates one (一) promise (诺) with a thousand in gold (千金). It gained prominence through the story of Ji Zha, who honored a posthumous promise despite great personal cost. The concept became central to merchant culture during the Tang Dynasty, whe...

Perfected through repeated refinement

Literal: Thousand hammers hundred forges

This metallurgical metaphor describes something subjected to a thousand (千) hammer blows (锤) and a hundred (百) forgings (炼), originating from Han Dynasty descriptions of sword-making. Historical records detail how the finest blades required repeated folding and hammering to remove impurities and str...

Ever-changing; constantly varying

Literal: Thousand changes ten thousand transformations

This idiom uses the large numbers 'thousand' (千) and 'ten thousand' (万) with 'change' (变) and 'transform' (化) to describe constant flux. The hyperbolic numbers emphasize the endless variety of transformations. The phrase reflects Daoist philosophy regarding the ceaseless change underlying apparent s...

Long-term plan; matter of lasting importance

Literal: Hundred-year great plan

This idiom describes a great (大) plan (计) spanning a hundred (百) years (年). It emphasizes long-term thinking and planning that extends beyond immediate concerns to future generations. The phrase appeared in texts discussing governance and national development. It reflects the Chinese cultural value ...

Travel a great distance

Literal: A thousand miles distant

This idiom describes a thousand (千) miles (里) being distant (迢迢). The doubled 迢 emphasizes the remoteness and length of the journey. The phrase captures the effort of traveling great distances. Modern usage describes coming from far away, emphasizing the dedication shown by traveling long distances ...