守株待兔 — “To wait idly for a stroke of luck, hoping for unearned gains”
守株待兔 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to wait idly for a stroke of luck, hoping for unearned gains”. To stick rigidly to old ways or narrow experiences without adapting to new circumstances. Literally, “Guarding a tree stump to wait for a rabbit”.
守株待兔 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 守shǒu
- 株zhū
- 待dài
- 兔tù
守株待兔 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 守株待兔
Origin and Story of 守株待兔
Legend has it that during the Warring States period in the State of Song, there was a farmer who toiled from dawn till dusk. Even in good years, he barely had enough to eat and wear; during famines, he would suffer from hunger. He longed to improve his life but was both lazy and timid, always hoping for unexpected windfalls to come his way.
A miracle finally happened one autumn day. While he was plowing his field, hunters were active nearby. The shouts echoed, and frightened wild animals ran desperately. Suddenly, a rabbit, by sheer coincidence, crashed headfirst into a tree stump at the edge of his field and died.
That day, the farmer enjoyed a hearty meal. From then on, he stopped farming. All day long, he would guard that magical tree stump, waiting for another miracle to occur.
The idiom "shǒu zhū dài tù" (guarding a tree stump waiting for a rabbit) is used to describe someone who foolishly hopes to gain without effort, or who rigidly adheres to outdated methods without adapting to new situations.
Idioms Related to 守株待兔
More idioms starting with 守
- shǒu守xiān先dài待hòu后inherit the past and usher in the future
- shǒu守fēn分ān安cháng常Abide by duty, content with status quo
- shǒu守kǒu口rú如píng瓶Keep a secret strictly
- shǒu守tǔ土yǒu有zé责responsible for safeguarding one's territory
- shǒu守rú如chǔ处nǚ女，，chū出rú如tuō脱tù兔Cautious then swift
- shǒu守wàng望xiāng相zhù助keep watch and help each other
- shǒu守zhū株yuán缘mù木futile efforts by unrealistic means
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不huí回Uphold integrity and never compromise
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不náo挠uphold integrity and remain unyielding
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不ráo桡uphold rectitude and not yield
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不yí移adhere to righteous principles
- shǒu守zhèng正bù不ē阿Uphold justice and be impartial
Questions about 守株待兔
- What does 守株待兔 mean?
- 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to wait idly for a stroke of luck, hoping for unearned gains”.
- How do you pronounce 守株待兔?
- 守株待兔 is pronounced shǒu zhū dài tù in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 守株待兔 literally mean?
- Literally, 守株待兔 means “Guarding a tree stump to wait for a rabbit”. It is used to mean “to wait idly for a stroke of luck, hoping for unearned gains”.
- Where does 守株待兔 come from?
- 守株待兔 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 守株待兔?
- 株：露出地面的树根。原比喻希图不经过努力而得到成功的侥幸心理。现也比喻死守狭隘经验，不知变通。