郑人买履
郑人买履 (zhèng rén mǎi lǚ) literally means “zheng man buys shoes” and expresses “inflexible adherence”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: zheng ren mai lv, zheng ren mai lv,郑人买履 meaning, 郑人买履 in english
Inflexible adherence
Pronunciation: zhèng rén mǎi lǚ Literal meaning: Zheng man buys shoes
Origin & Usage
A man (人) of Zheng (郑), wanting to buy (买) shoes (履), measured his foot with a cord and left the cord at home. Reaching the market he found he had forgotten it and went back for it, and by the time he returned the market had closed. Asked why he had not simply tried the shoes on his feet, he said: I trust the measurement, I do not trust myself. Han Feizi tells it against rulers who prefer the precedent to the case in front of them, and the punchline is the whole idiom — the foot was available the entire time.
Examples
English: "He stubbornly adhered to his principles, even when faced with practical challenges."
Chinese: 他固执地坚持自己的原则，即使面临实际挑战。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
买椟还珠
mǎi dú huán zhū
Valuing packaging over content
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如履薄冰
rú lǚ bó bīng
Extreme caution in risky situations
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一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rén
Sudden, remarkable success
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黄粱一梦
huáng liáng yī mèng
Ephemeral dreams
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揭竿而起
jiē gān ér qǐ
Grassroots uprising
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朝三暮四
zhāo sān mù sì
Fickle and inconsistent
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惊弓之鸟
jīng gōng zhī niǎo
Fear from past trauma
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临渊羡鱼
lín yuān xiàn yú
Act, don't just dream
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 郑人买履 mean in English?
郑人买履 (zhèng rén mǎi lǚ) literally translates to “Zheng man buys shoes” and is used to express “Inflexible adherence”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 郑人买履 used?
Situation: He stubbornly adhered to his principles, even when faced with practical challenges.
What is the pinyin for 郑人买履?
The pinyin pronunciation for 郑人买履 is “zhèng rén mǎi lǚ”.