三顾茅庐

Pronunciation: sān gù máo lú Literal meaning: Three visits to the thatched cottage

Origin & Usage

Zhuge Liang's own memorial to the throne is the source, and it is worth reading for the tone: the late emperor, he wrote, did not think me contemptible, and three times (三顾) came to see me in my thatched hut (茅庐) among the fields. Liu Bei was a warlord and Zhuge Liang was twenty-six and unemployed. The phrase describes the courting of talent by somebody who does not need to be doing the travelling, and it serves for recruitment, for persistence, and for the flattery of being pursued.

Examples

English: "His persistence in seeking the expert's advice was reminiscent of the three visits to the thatched cottage."

Chinese: 他坚持不懈地寻求专家的建议，令人想起三顾茅庐。