玩物丧志

玩物喪志

wánwù-sàngzhì

idiom #36,898

Meanings

1 to lose one's ambition through frivolous pursuits
2 to be so absorbed in trifles that one's higher purpose is sapped

Characters

Examples

HSK 4

整天打游戏，小心玩物丧志。

Zhěngtiān dǎ yóuxì, xiǎoxīn wánwù-sàngzhì.

Playing games all day, be careful you don't lose your drive to trivia.

HSK 7-9

父母担心他玩物丧志，荒废了学业。

Fùmǔ dānxīn tā wánwù-sàngzhì, huāngfèi le xuéyè.

His parents worry that he is squandering his ambition on hobbies and neglecting his studies.

Tips

history

From the Book of Documents 《尚书·旅獒》: 玩人丧德, 玩物丧志 ('toying with people destroys virtue; toying with things destroys ambition'). The phrase was originally a warning to a Zhou king against being distracted by exotic tribute animals.

Stroke Order

玩 wán

物 wù

丧 sāng

志 zhì