胸有成竹

xiōngyǒu-chéngzhú

idiom HSK 7-9 #21,996

Meanings

1 to have a well-thought-out plan
2 to have full confidence
3 to have a card up one's sleeve

Characters

complete; finished

Examples

HSK 4

做事之前要胸有成竹。

Zuòshì zhīqián yào xiōngyǒu-chéngzhú.

Before doing anything, you should have a clear plan.

HSK 6

他胸有成竹地走进了考场。

Tā xiōngyǒu-chéngzhú de zǒujìn le kǎochǎng.

He walked into the exam hall with full confidence.

Tips

history

This idiom comes from the Song dynasty painter 文与可, who was famous for painting bamboo. Before painting, he would visualize the complete bamboo in his mind (chest), so every stroke was confident and precise.

memory

Chest (胸) + have (有) + complete (成) + bamboo (竹) = having a complete bamboo painting in your chest before you start. You've already got the plan inside you.

Stroke Order

胸 xiōng

有 yǒu

成 chéng

竹 zhú