守株待兔
Meaning: Vainly hoping a lucky fluke will repeat itself.
Language: Chinese
Literally: Guarding the stump, waiting for a hare
Category: Animals
Origin: From Han Feizi: a farmer saw one hare die hitting a tree stump and abandoned his fields to wait, fruitlessly, for more.
More idioms — Animals
- 塞翁失马 — A blessing in disguise; fortune is unpredictable.
- 狐假虎威 — To bully others using borrowed power.
- De kat uit de boom kijken — To wait cautiously before committing.
- De koe bij de horens vatten — To tackle a problem head-on.
- Κάνω την πάπια — To feign ignorance; to play dumb.
- Att göra en pudel — To make a public, grovelling apology.
More Chinese idioms
- 入乡随俗 — When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
- 一箭双雕 — To achieve two things with a single act.
- 班门弄斧 — To display feeble skill before a true master.
- 名落孙山 — To fail an examination.
- 雪上加霜 — To make a bad situation even worse.
- 对牛弹琴 — Reasoning with someone who cannot understand.
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