







着意栽花花不发,无意插柳柳成荫 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “one may fail to achieve what one deliberately strives for, yet unexpectedly succeed in something one attempts without intention; deliberate efforts may fail, but unintended actions may bring pleasant surprises”. Literally, “Intentionally planting flowers, but they don't bloom; unintentionally sticking in a willow, and it grows into a shade”.
| Character | Pinyin | Strokes | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| zhuó | 12 | to wear, touch, apply, or continue | |
| yì | 13 | idea, meaning, intention | |
| zāi | 10 | plant, fall, frame | |
| huā | 8 | Flower, spend, colorful, blurry | |
| huā | 8 | Flower, spend, colorful, blurry | |
| bù | 4 | not | |
| fā | 5 | to issue, send, or develop | |
| , | , | — | |
| wú | 4 | without, not having | |
| yì | 13 | idea, meaning, intention | |
| chā | 12 | insert, stick in, plug in | |
| liǔ | 9 | willow tree | |
| liǔ | 9 | willow tree | |
| chéng | 7 | to become or succeed | |
| yīn | 9 | shade, shelter, protect |

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Open the tool →着意栽花花不发,无意插柳柳成荫 (zhuó yì zāi huā huā bù fā , wú yì chā liǔ liǔ chéng yīn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “one may fail to achieve what one deliberately strives for, yet unexpectedly succeed in something one attempts without intention; deliberate efforts may fail, but unintended actions may bring pleasant surprises”.
着意栽花花不发,无意插柳柳成荫 is pronounced zhuó yì zāi huā huā bù fā , wú yì chā liǔ liǔ chéng yīn in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 着意栽花花不发,无意插柳柳成荫 means “Intentionally planting flowers, but they don't bloom; unintentionally sticking in a willow, and it grows into a shade”. It is used to mean “one may fail to achieve what one deliberately strives for, yet unexpectedly succeed in something one attempts without intention; deliberate efforts may fail, but unintended actions may bring pleasant surprises”.
着意:用心。有心栽种的花没开,无意插下的柳枝却成了一片柳荫。比喻存心想求得的没得到,不经意的却意外地取得了收获