循循善诱
循循善诱 (xún xún shàn yòu) literally means “lead on in order, good at drawing out” and expresses “draw a learner on step by step”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: xun xun shan you, xun xun shan you,循循善诱 meaning, 循循善诱 in english
Draw a learner on step by step
Pronunciation: xún xún shàn yòu Literal meaning: Lead on in order, good at drawing out
Origin & Usage
Yan Hui, describing what it was like to be taught by Confucius, said 夫子循循然善诱人 — the Master leads people on step after step (循循) and is good (善) at drawing them out (诱). 诱 elsewhere means to entice or to lure, which is the interesting part: the pupil is being brought along rather than instructed, and each step is arranged to make the next one attractive. For a teacher it is the highest praise available, and the emphasis falls entirely on the pacing.
Examples
English: "The mentor skillfully guided the students through difficult concepts."
Chinese: 导师循循善诱，带领学生理解困难的概念。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
诲人不倦
huì rén bù juàn
Teach with tireless patience
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从善如流
cóng shàn rú liú
Readily accept good advice
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循序渐进
xún xù jiàn jìn
Progress step by step
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深入浅出
shēn rù qiǎn chū
Explain profound ideas in simple terms
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一针见血
yī zhēn jiàn xiě
Hit the nail on the head; incisive
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一目了然
yī mù liǎo rán
Clear at a glance; obvious
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不求甚解
bù qiú shèn jiě
Content with superficial understanding
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言传身教
yán chuán shēn jiào
Teach by word and deed
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 循循善诱 mean in English?
循循善诱 (xún xún shàn yòu) literally translates to “Lead on in order, good at drawing out” and is used to express “Draw a learner on step by step”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 循循善诱 used?
Situation: The mentor skillfully guided the students through difficult concepts.
What is the pinyin for 循循善诱?
The pinyin pronunciation for 循循善诱 is “xún xún shàn yòu”.