呆若木鸡(呆若木雞)
呆若木鸡 (dāi ruò mù jī) literally means “dumbfounded like wooden chicken”and expresses “completely stunned or dumbfounded”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: dai ruo mu ji, dai ruo mu ji,呆若木鸡 meaning, 呆若木鸡 in english
Pronunciation: dāi ruò mù jī Literal meaning: Dumbfounded like wooden chicken
Origin & Usage
Zhuangzi's Daoist texts introduced this vivid image of being stunned (呆) like a wooden chicken (木鸡), originally describing meditation-induced stillness. Han Dynasty writers transformed it into a description of shock-induced paralysis. The comparison to a wooden chicken proved particularly apt - these normally active birds becoming unnaturally still perfectly captured the essence of stunned immobility.
When to Use
Situation: Upon hearing the unexpected news, the entire committee sat motionless in shock
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Related Chinese Idioms
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Give one's all; be completely sincere
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国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
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Golden age of peace and prosperity
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Peace everywhere; universal harmony
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ān tǔ zhòng qiān
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Hard to leave one's homeland
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 呆若木鸡 mean in English?
呆若木鸡 (dāi ruò mù jī) literally translates to “Dumbfounded like wooden chicken”and is used to express “Completely stunned or dumbfounded”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theLife Philosophy category..
When is 呆若木鸡 used?
Situation: Upon hearing the unexpected news, the entire committee sat motionless in shock
What is the pinyin for 呆若木鸡?
The pinyin pronunciation for 呆若木鸡 is “dāi ruò mù jī”.