8 Bold Chinese Idioms With Rooster (鸡)

Practice with determination

Literal meaning: Hear rooster rise dance

This inspiring idiom recalls the story of Zu Di, a Jin Dynasty general who would rise (起) to practice sword dance (舞) whenever he heard (闻) roosters (鸡) crow. His daily pre-dawn dedication ultimately led to military excellence. The rooster's call, traditionally marking daybreak, became a symbol of s...

Stand out from crowd

Literal meaning: Crane stands among chickens

Han Dynasty observers first used this image of a crane standing (鹤立) among chickens (鸡群) to describe natural nobility amid the common. Unlike artificial status, it described innate distinction that becomes immediately apparent through contrast. Modern usage celebrates those whose natural excellence ...

Sacrifice long-term benefits for short-term gains

Literal meaning: Kill chicken take eggs

This idiom originated from Han Dynasty agricultural maxims, first appearing in economic discussions warning against sacrificing productive assets for immediate returns. During the Song Dynasty, it gained prominence in governmental policy debates about sustainable taxation. The metaphor of killing a ...

Completely stunned or dumbfounded

Literal meaning: Dumbfounded like wooden chicken

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 - thes...

To lose everything; complete failure

Literal meaning: Chicken flies away and eggs broken

This vivid idiom depicts the scene of trying to catch a chicken and accidentally breaking its eggs in the process - losing both the bird and its potential offspring. It emerged from rural Chinese life where chickens represented valuable assets. The phrase captures the frustration of a double loss, p...