尾大不掉 — “The tail is too big to wag/sway”
尾大不掉 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes a situation where an organization or system has grown too large and complex, making it difficult to manage or control effectively. It can also refer to subordinates or branches becoming too powerful for central authority to command efficiently, leading to a loss of control”. Literally, “The tail is too big to wag/sway”.
尾大不掉 Pronunciation and Pinyin
尾大不掉 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 尾大不掉
Origin and Story of 尾大不掉
During the Spring and Autumn period, King Ling of Chu, in 531 BC, constructed cities in Cheng, Cai, and Bugeng, and planned to appoint Qiji as the Duke of Cai.
He consulted Shen Wuyu, asking, 'What are your thoughts on sending Qiji to Cai?' Shen Wuyu advised, 'A father is best suited to choose a son, and a monarch to choose a minister. Duke Zhuang of Zheng settled Ziyuan in Lie, which prevented Duke Zhao from becoming king. Duke Huan of Qi settled Guan Zhong in Gu, and Qi has prospered ever since. I have heard that certain important officials should not be stationed in border regions, nor should minor officials be in the court; close relatives should not be outside, nor should temporary residents be inside. Currently, Qiji is outside, and Zheng Dan is inside; Your Majesty should exercise caution.'
King Chu then asked, 'What if the capital has strong city walls?' Shen Wuyu replied, 'In Zheng, Manbo was killed in Jing and Lie; in Song, Ziyou was killed in Xiao and Hao; in Qi, Wuzhi was killed in Quediu; and in Wei, Duke Xian was exiled from Pu and Qi. Such precedents demonstrate the potential harm to the capital. A branch that grows too large will surely break, and a tail that is too large cannot be wagged – these are truths Your Majesty knows well.'
Idioms Related to 尾大不掉
Synonyms of 尾大不掉
Antonyms of 尾大不掉
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Open the tool →Questions about 尾大不掉
What does 尾大不掉 mean?
尾大不掉 (wěi dà bù diào) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes a situation where an organization or system has grown too large and complex, making it difficult to manage or control effectively. It can also refer to subordinates or branches becoming too powerful for central authority to command efficiently, leading to a loss of control”.
How do you pronounce 尾大不掉?
尾大不掉 is pronounced wěi dà bù diào in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 尾大不掉 literally mean?
Literally, 尾大不掉 means “the tail is too big to wag/sway”. It is used to mean “describes a situation where an organization or system has grown too large and complex, making it difficult to manage or control effectively. It can also refer to subordinates or branches becoming too powerful for central authority to command efficiently, leading to a loss of control”.
Where does 尾大不掉 come from?
尾大不掉 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 尾大不掉?
掉：摇动。尾巴太大，掉转不灵。旧时比喻部下的势力很大，无法指挥调度。现比喻机构庞大，指挥不灵。