韬光养晦

韜光養晦

tāoguāngyǎnghuì

idiom #75,952

Meanings

1 to hide one's talents and bide one's time
2 to keep a low profile; to conceal strengths and wait for the right moment

Characters

to sheathe; conceal

light; brilliance

to nurture; cultivate

darkness; obscurity

Examples

他这几年韬光养晦，只为等一个机会。

Tā zhè jǐ nián tāo guāng yǎng huì, zhǐ wèi děng yī gè jīhuì.

He's kept a low profile these past years, just waiting for the right chance.

新公司成立之初，最好先韬光养晦。

Xīn gōngsī chénglì zhī chū, zuì hǎo xiān tāo guāng yǎng huì.

A newly founded company should stay under the radar at first.

他懂得韬光养晦，从不轻易暴露实力。

Tā dǒngde tāo guāng yǎng huì, cóng bù qīngyì bàolù shílì.

He knows how to bide his time and never casually reveals his real strength.

Tips

history

From 《旧唐书·宣宗记》: '愈事韬晦，群居游处，未尝有言' — the future Emperor Xuanzong concealed his abilities before taking the throne, living quietly and speaking little. 韬 = 'sheathe,' 晦 = 'darken' — to sheathe one's light.

culture

Famously associated with Deng Xiaoping's (邓小平) 1990s foreign-policy guideline '韬光养晦，有所作为' — 'keep a low profile; accomplish something.' For years it shaped China's measured international posture; the phrase still appears in policy commentary.

Stroke Order

韬 tāo

光 guāng

养 yǎng

晦 huì