耕当问奴 — “Consult those with practical experience or expertise”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 耕当问奴?

比喻办事应该向内行请教。

耕当问奴 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Consult those with practical experience or expertise”. Seek advice from the knowledgeable. Literally, “When plowing, ask the servant”.

Frequency

耕当问奴 Pronunciation and Pinyin

耕当问奴 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
耕	gēng	10	to plow or cultivate soil
当	dāng	6	to act as or serve as
问	wèn	6	ask, inquire, question
奴	nú	5	slave, enslave, exploit

Example Sentence with 耕当问奴

对于如何改进公司流程，我们应该耕当问奴，多听听一线员工的意见。

Regarding how to improve company processes, we should consult those with practical experience and listen more to the opinions of frontline staff.

Origin and Story of 耕当问奴

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Emperor Wen of Song planned to expand his territory northward and dispatched generals like Wang Yunmo to lead a northern expedition. Shen Qingzhi, a seasoned official, repeatedly advised against it, vividly recounting the lessons learned from previous failed campaigns.

Emperor Wen was displeased and had several civil officials debate the military strategy with Shen Qingzhi.

Shen Qingzhi then famously stated that governing a country is akin to managing a household: 'When plowing, one should ask the servant; when weaving, one should consult the maid.' He further emphasized that discussing such practical matters with inexperienced 'pale-faced scholars' was futile.