守株待兔

shǒuzhūdàitù

idiom HSK 7 #22,782

Meanings

1 to wait by a tree stump for a rabbit
2 to rely on a fluke instead of making an effort
3 to cling to a narrow experience

Characters

Examples

你不能守株待兔，要主动去找工作。

Nǐ bù néng shǒuzhūdàitù, yào zhǔdòng qù zhǎo gōngzuò.

You can't just sit and wait for opportunities; you need to actively look for a job.

成功靠努力，不能守株待兔。

Chénggōng kào nǔlì, bù néng shǒuzhūdàitù.

Success depends on effort; you can't just wait for it to fall in your lap.

Tips

history

From a story in 韩非子: a farmer saw a rabbit crash into a tree stump and die. He then sat by the stump every day waiting for another rabbit, neglecting his fields.

usage

Always negative — criticizes passivity and relying on past luck instead of working hard.

Stroke Order

守 shǒu

株 zhū

待 dài

兔 tù