踌躇满志

躊躇滿志
chóuchú-mǎnzhì
idiom #53,680

Meanings

  1. 1 smugly self-satisfied
  2. 2 enormously pleased with one's success
  3. 3 complacent after accomplishment

Examples

HSK 5
Gāng nádào dìyī gè dà xiàngmù, tā chóuchú-mǎnzhì.
Having just landed his first big project, he was brimming with self-satisfaction.
HSK 6
Bìyè diǎnlǐ shàng, tóngxué men gègè chóuchú-mǎnzhì.
At the graduation ceremony, every student was flush with ambition and pride.

Tips

history
From 《庄子·养生主》: Cook Ding, after cleanly carving the ox, "提刀而立,为之四顾,为之踌躇满志" - stood with his knife, looked around, and was quietly proud. A rare classical passage celebrating craftsman's satisfaction.
mistakes
踌躇 on its own means "to hesitate." In this chengyu, though, it means "leisurely pleased," preserving its original Zhuangzi sense. Don't assume this idiom implies hesitation - it means the opposite, satisfaction.

Stroke Order

chóu
chú
mǎn
zhì