Idiom Explainer: 胸有成竹: A Chest of Bamboo?
- Daniel Sherwood-Clarke
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
20/02/26
胸有成竹 (xiōng yŏu chéng zhú)
have a well thought-out plan (lit: chest - has - become - bamboo)
Nothing of what follows is written by Artificial Intelligence.
Light penetrated the windows of Wentong’s bedroom, waking him sharply. He likely would have set an alarm instead, but alas it was the alarm-clock-less 11th Century.
Where Wentong lacked in the ability to invent alarmclocks, he possessed unreasonably good skills in the field of drawing bamboo. The quality of his bamboo depictions were second only to the quality of this newsletter.
That is to say, they were excellent. He thought of bamboo. He dreamt of bamboo.
Bamboo was on his mind.
Wentong would draw bamboo so well that, should you or I have ever seen any of his paintings, we would likely faint. His friends (those that managed to remain conscious) also commented in this way. They often asked why his drawings were so good.
“I have had bamboo in my mind, and my heart, for quite some time now. It’s easy to draw them, as I ceaselessly imagine them”, Wentong regrettably never said.
But if he did say that, it would make it very easy to understand 胸有成竹 - where one imagines an outcome, and holds it in their mind or chest, the results will come about easily.
胸有成竹 - to have a well thought-out plan
One way to use it:
Use when showing that the reason for success is earnest preparation (when you’ve prepared for your interview for months and finally land the job).
Use when you’ve learned your lines for a play.
Use when the reason for the success of your negotation was, indeed, planning.
Professional Use:
Leaders: 在谈判之前，她对策略已经胸有成竹。Before the negotiation, she already had a clear strategy in mind.
Beginners: 他上台之前已经胸有成竹。Before stepping on stage, he already had everything clearly planned.
Origin: 文同 Wentong, a painter who lived during the Song Dynasty (960-1270).
I trust that you will have a splendid, fruitful week.
Daniel Sherwood-Clarke | Mandarin Tutor to ambitious students
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