朝三暮四

Pronunciation: zhāo sān mù sì Literal meaning: Three in the morning, four at night

Origin & Usage

The Zhuangzi tells of a monkey keeper who, running short, told his monkeys they would have three acorns in the morning (朝三) and four at night (暮四). The monkeys were furious. He offered four in the morning and three at night, and they were delighted. Zhuangzi's point is about the sage, who wearies neither himself nor others by disputing over what is in substance identical. The modern meaning has drifted well away from that: today 朝三暮四 nearly always means fickle and changeable, and the arithmetic in the story has been forgotten.

Examples

English: "His indecisiveness led to constant changes in plans, leaving everyone confused."

Chinese: 他的优柔寡断导致计划不断变化，让大家感到困惑。