从长计议

從長計議

cóngchángjìyì

idiom #31,854

Meanings

1 to consider carefully and take one's time
2 to plan things out slowly
3 to not rush a decision

Characters

follow / take (a longer view)

long (view / time)

Examples

这件事关系重大，我们要从长计议。

Zhè jiàn shì guānxi zhòngdà, wǒmen yào cóng cháng jì yì.

This matter is too important — we should take our time and plan carefully.

别着急决定，从长计议比较好。

Bié zháojí juédìng, cóng cháng jì yì bǐjiào hǎo.

Don't decide in a rush — it's better to think it over carefully.

买房这么大的事，还是从长计议吧。

Mǎi fáng zhème dà de shì, háishi cóng cháng jì yì ba.

Something as big as buying a house — let's plan it out carefully.

Tips

history

The phrase 从长 comes from 《左传·僖公四年》: '筮短龟长，不如从长' — when divination methods disagree, go with the more authoritative one. Later Yuan playwright Li Xingdao pairs it with 计议 ('to plan and discuss') in 《灰阑记》.

usage

Often a gentle way to refuse or defer: '这事从长计议' ~ 'let's not rush into this' (and often: let it drop).

Stroke Order

从 cóng

长 cháng

计 jì

议 yì