锥处囊中 — “An awl in a pouch/bag”
锥处囊中 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a person of true talent will eventually reveal their abilities and stand out, much like an awl in a bag will inevitably pierce through and show its tip”. Literally, “An awl in a pouch/bag”.
锥处囊中 Pronunciation and Pinyin
锥处囊中 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 锥处囊中
Origin and Story of 锥处囊中
During the Warring States period, Mao Sui, a retainer of Lord Pingyuan of Zhao, volunteered to accompany Lord Pingyuan to negotiate with the King of Chu.
Lord Pingyuan, who had not noticed Mao Sui before, said, "A worthy scholar in the world is like an awl in a bag; its tip will immediately show." Mao Sui replied that he was willing to be in the bag to distinguish himself.
Lord Pingyuan agreed to let him go, and as a result, Mao Sui successfully persuaded the state of Chu to send troops to resist Qin and save Zhao.
Idioms Related to 锥处囊中
Synonyms of 锥处囊中
Antonyms of 锥处囊中
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Open the tool →Questions about 锥处囊中
What does 锥处囊中 mean?
锥处囊中 (zhuī chǔ náng zhōng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a person of true talent will eventually reveal their abilities and stand out, much like an awl in a bag will inevitably pierce through and show its tip”.
How do you pronounce 锥处囊中?
锥处囊中 is pronounced zhuī chǔ náng zhōng in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 锥处囊中 literally mean?
Literally, 锥处囊中 means “an awl in a pouch/bag”. It is used to mean “a person of true talent will eventually reveal their abilities and stand out, much like an awl in a bag will inevitably pierce through and show its tip”.
Where does 锥处囊中 come from?
锥处囊中 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 锥处囊中?
囊：口袋。锥子放在口袋里，锥尖就会露出来。比喻有才能的人不会长久被埋没，终能显露头角。