善贾而沽 — “To wait for a good price to sell”

善贾而沽 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to wait for a good price to sell”. Figuratively, to bide one's time until one's talents are appreciated or a suitable, often lucrative, opportunity arises. Literally, “Sell at a good price”.

Frequency

善贾而沽 Pronunciation and Pinyin

善贾而沽 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
善	shàn	12	good kind skillful
贾	gǔ	10	merchant, sell, surname
而	ér	6	and, but, then
沽	gū	8	sell, seek, or buy

Example Sentence with 善贾而沽

他虽然才华横溢，却不急于求成，宁愿“善贾而沽”，等待一个真正能施展抱负的平台。

Although he is exceptionally talented, he is not in a hurry to achieve success; instead, he prefers to "wait for a good price to sell," biding his time for a platform where he can truly fulfill his aspirations.

Origin and Story of 善贾而沽

During the Spring and Autumn period, Confucius, a great philosopher, hoped that rulers would adopt his benevolent political ideas. While he served in the State of Lu, the Duke of Lu was heavily influenced by the powerful Ji clan, which hindered Confucius's ability to implement his vision.

Feeling his talents were not fully appreciated, Confucius sighed, 'If anyone were to employ me, I could achieve something in a month, and great success in three years.' However, the Duke of Lu did not give him significant responsibilities.

Confucius held the belief, 'When the state is governed by the Way, one should serve; when the state is not governed by the Way, one should withdraw.' Therefore, embracing the principle of 'waiting for a good price to sell' (善贾而沽), meaning to bide his time until he found a ruler who would truly recognize and value his abilities, he set out to travel among various states.