8 Chinese Idioms With Sheep & Goat (羊)
Chinese idioms featuring sheep and goats - expressions about gentleness, herding, and learning from mistakes.
Sheep and goats appear in Chinese idioms representing gentleness, following the group, and importantly, learning from mistakes. The famous "mending the pen after losing sheep" teaches timeless wisdom.
亡羊补牢
wáng yáng bǔ láoNever too late to fix
Literal: Fix pen after lost sheep
This practical wisdom originates from an ancient shepherd who, after losing (亡) sheep (羊), finally repaired (补) his pen (牢). The story, recorded in 'Guanzi', became a governance parable during the Warring States period. Officials used it to argue for preventive policies rather than reactive measures...
Example
After the security breach, the company finally upgraded their systems
在安全漏洞事件后，公司终于升级了系统
众志成城
zhòng zhì chéng chéngUnity creates strength
Literal: Many wills make wall
This architectural metaphor shows how many wills (众志) can form an impenetrable wall (城), drawing from ancient Chinese defensive architecture. It gained significance during the Warring States period when city walls required massive coordinated effort to construct and defend. Historical records detail...
Example
The community's united effort successfully prevented the development project
社区齐心协力成功阻止了开发项目
守望相助
shǒu wàng xiāng zhùHelp and support each other
Literal: Watch and help each other
Originating from ancient Chinese village organization principles, this phrase describes communities watching (守望) and helping (相助) each other. Historical records from the Zhou Dynasty detail how five families would form mutual aid groups, sharing lookout duties and agricultural assistance. The conce...
Example
During the crisis, neighbors took turns checking on elderly residents
在危机期间，邻居们轮流照看年长居民
虚怀若谷
xū huái ruò gǔStay humble and open
Literal: Empty heart like valley
Derived from Daoist philosophy, this phrase advocates maintaining an empty (虚) heart/mind (怀) like (若) a valley (谷). The valley metaphor was particularly significant in Daoist thought - like a valley that receives all waters without preference, one should remain open to all ideas without prejudice. ...
Example
The professor welcomed new ideas from his students
教授欢迎学生们提出新的想法
防微杜渐
fáng wēi dù jiànStop problems before they grow
Literal: Prevent small stop gradual
This proactive idiom advocates preventing (防) minor problems (微) and blocking (杜) their gradual (渐) development, first appearing in Han Dynasty governance manuals. It gained prominence during the Tang Dynasty through Chancellor Wei Zheng's famous memorial warning Emperor Taizong that small issues ev...
Example
The company implemented strict compliance measures to prevent potential violations
公司实施了严格的合规措施，以防微杜渐
瓜熟蒂落
guā shú dì luòThings happen when ready
Literal: Melon ripe stem falls
This agricultural metaphor describes how a melon (瓜) naturally falls from its stem (蒂) when ripe (熟), originating from peasant wisdom during the Spring and Autumn period. Farmers observed that forcing a melon from the vine before its time yielded poor results, while patience produced perfectly ripen...
Example
The project succeeded because they waited for the right moment
项目成功是因为他们等待了适当的时机
日积月累
rì jī yuè lěiGradual accumulation builds up
Literal: Days pile months gather
This idiom weaves together daily (日) accumulation (积) with monthly (月) gathering (累) to describe gradual progress. It first appeared in Han Dynasty texts discussing scholarly cultivation, where learning was seen as a process of constant, minute additions - like grains of sand forming a mountain. The...
Example
Her language skills improved through daily practice over years
她的语言能力通过多年的日常练习得到提高
聚沙成塔
jù shā chéng tǎSmall things build achievement
Literal: Gather sand make tower
The concept of gathering (聚) sand (沙) to build (成) a tower (塔) emerged from Buddhist temple construction practices during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The image of accumulated individual grains forming a massive structure became a metaphor for collective effort and gradual progress. It gained particula...
Example
The platform grew through millions of small user contributions
该平台通过数百万用户的小贡献而发展壮大
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