识时务

識時務

shíshíwù

verb #36,908

Meanings

1 to recognize the situation (and act accordingly)
2 to know which way the wind blows
3 to be pragmatic

Characters

time; the times

affair; situation

Examples

他很识时务，立刻向新领导表示支持。

Tā hěn shíshíwù, lìkè xiàng xīn lǐngdǎo biǎoshì zhīchí.

He read the situation well and immediately voiced support for the new boss.

你要识时务，别再坚持了。

Nǐ yào shíshíwù, bié zài jiānchí le.

You need to face reality — stop holding out.

Tips

history

From the proverb 识时务者为俊杰 (shíshíwù zhě wéi jùnjié, 'one who recognizes the times is the true hero'), recorded in 《三国志》 about Liu Bei being told this by 司马徽 before recruiting Zhuge Liang. Today the verb has split tones: praising someone as politically savvy, or sneering at someone as opportunistic.

mistakes

The 识 here is shí ('to recognize'), not zhì. Avoid pronouncing all three syllables with the same tone — it is shí-shí-wù (2-2-4).

Stroke Order

识 shí

时 shí

务 wù