曲突徙薪
曲突徙薪 (qū tū xǐ xīn) literally means “bend the chimney, move the firewood” and expresses “take precautions before disaster”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: qu tu xi xin, qu tu xi xin,曲突徙薪 meaning, 曲突徙薪 in english
Take precautions before disaster
Pronunciation: qū tū xǐ xīn Literal meaning: Bend the chimney, move the firewood
Origin & Usage
A guest noticed that his host's chimney ran straight up beside a stack of firewood, and advised him to bend (曲) the flue (突) and move (徙) the wood (薪). The host said nothing. The house burned; the neighbours who scorched themselves putting it out were feasted in order of injury, and the man who had given the advice was not invited. The Book of Han draws the moral in a line usually quoted with the idiom: 曲突徙薪亡恩泽，焦头烂额为上客 — bending the flue and shifting the wood earns no gratitude, while the scorched and blistered are seated as honoured guests.
Examples
English: "The engineer who warned about the fault was not invited to the review"
Chinese: 当初提出隐患的工程师，事后并没有被请去参加复盘
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Integrate many strands into one understanding
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学海无涯
xué hǎi wú yá
Learning is limitless
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知行合一
zhī xíng hé yī
Practice what you know
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举一反三
jǔ yī fǎn sān
Learn many from one example
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温故知新
wēn gù zhī xīn
Learn new through studying old
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画龙点睛
huà lóng diǎn jīng
Add crucial finishing touch
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读万卷书
dú wàn juàn shū
Read extensively for knowledge
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抛砖引玉
pāo zhuān yǐn yù
Offer modest view to inspire better
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 曲突徙薪 mean in English?
曲突徙薪 (qū tū xǐ xīn) literally translates to “Bend the chimney, move the firewood” and is used to express “Take precautions before disaster”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 曲突徙薪 used?
Situation: The engineer who warned about the fault was not invited to the review
What is the pinyin for 曲突徙薪?
The pinyin pronunciation for 曲突徙薪 is “qū tū xǐ xīn”.