顺藤摸瓜
顺藤摸瓜 (shùn téng mō guā) literally means “follow vine find melon” and expresses “follow clues to solution”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: shun teng mo gua, shun teng mo gua,顺藤摸瓜 meaning, 顺藤摸瓜 in english
Follow clues to solution
Pronunciation: shùn téng mō guā Literal meaning: Follow vine find melon
Origin & Usage
Following (顺) the vine (藤) to feel out (摸) the melon (瓜) at the end of it. The image is agricultural and exact: the melon lies hidden under leaves, but the vine that grew it is in plain sight and leads there. What the phrase specifies is method — you do not search for the melon, you take hold of the vine and keep going — so it names patience and sequence rather than insight. Police work and audits run on it, where the first small thing found matters only because of what it is attached to.
Examples
English: "The detective traced the evidence methodically to find the truth"
Chinese: 侦探循着线索找到真相
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
盲人摸象
máng rén mō xiàng
Mistaking partial knowledge for complete wisdom
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瓜田李下
guā tián lǐ xià
Avoid situations that invite suspicion
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读万卷书
dú wàn juàn shū
Read extensively for knowledge
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集思广益
jí sī guǎng yì
Gather wisdom from many
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防微杜渐
fáng wēi dù jiàn
Stop problems before they grow
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瓜熟蒂落
guā shú dì luò
Things happen when ready
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混水摸鱼
hún shuǐ mō yú
Exploit chaos
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明哲保身
míng zhé bǎo shēn
Protect oneself from danger wisely
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 顺藤摸瓜 mean in English?
顺藤摸瓜 (shùn téng mō guā) literally translates to “Follow vine find melon” and is used to express “Follow clues to solution”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 顺藤摸瓜 used?
Situation: The detective traced the evidence methodically to find the truth
What is the pinyin for 顺藤摸瓜?
The pinyin pronunciation for 顺藤摸瓜 is “shùn téng mō guā”.
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