坐享其成

zuòxiǎngqíchéng

idiom #29,898

Meanings

1 to reap where one has not sown
2 to sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor
3 to benefit without effort

Characters

to sit; to stay seated

to enjoy; to benefit from

its; their; that

achievement; success; to accomplish

Examples

他总是坐享其成，从不参与实际工作。

Tā zǒng shì zuòxiǎng qíchéng, cóng bù cānyù shíjì gōngzuò.

He always reaps what others have sown and never participates in the actual work.

我们不能坐享其成，要靠自己努力。

Wǒmen bù néng zuòxiǎng qíchéng, yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì.

We cannot just sit back and enjoy what others achieved — we must work hard ourselves.

Tips

memory

坐 (to sit) + 享 (to enjoy) + 其 (their/its) + 成 (achievements). Imagine someone sitting comfortably in a chair enjoying the rewards that others worked hard to achieve.

Stroke Order

坐 zuò

享 xiǎng

其 qí

成 chéng