Word

朝三暮四 (zhāo sān mù sì) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

Meaning of 朝三暮四

成语 chéng yǔ idiom

fickle; changeable; inconsistent

别朝三暮四的，要专心做好一件事。

bié zhāo sān mù sì de yào zhuān xīn zuò hǎo yī jiàn shì

Don't be fickle; focus on doing one thing well.

Word breakdown

朝 zhāo — morning

1 有朝一日 yǒu zhāo yī rì — one day HSK 7
- 有 to have, indicates existence or possibility
- 朝 morning, day, refers to a time period
- 一 one, specifies singularity
- 日 day, time unit
Example

有朝一日，我会实现我的梦想。

yǒu zhāo yī rì wǒ huì shí xiàn wǒ de mèng xiǎng

One day, I will realize my dream.
2 朝夕相处 zhāo xī xiāng chǔ — to be together day and night HSK 7
- 朝 morning
- 夕 evening
- 相 mutually, together
- 处 to get along, to be (in a relationship)
Example

他们在大学里朝夕相处了四年。

tā men zài dà xué lǐ zhāo xī xiāng chǔ le sì nián

They were together day and night for four years in college.
3 朝气蓬勃 zhāo qì péng bó — full of vigor and vitality HSK 7
- 朝 morning; represents freshness and youthful energy
- 气 spirit, energy, vitality
- 蓬 flourishing, lush growth
- 勃 vigorous, thriving, bursting forth
Example

这些年轻人朝气蓬勃，充满了对未来的希望。

zhè xiē nián qīng rén zhāo qì péng bó chōng mǎn le duì wèi lái de xī wàng

These young people are full of vigor and vitality, filled with hope for the future.

三 sān — three

1 再三 zài sān — repeatedly HSK 6
- 再 again, once more
- 三 multiple times (three representing 'several')
Example

我再三提醒他要小心。

wǒ zài sān tí xǐng tā yào xiǎo xīn

I repeatedly reminded him to be careful.
2 三番五次 sān fān wǔ cì — time and again HSK 7
- 三 three (indicating multiple times)
- 番 times/occasions (indicating instances)
- 五 five (emphasizing repetition)
- 次 times/instances (reinforcing repetition)
Example

我三番五次地提醒他，他就是不听。

wǒ sān fān wǔ cì de tí xǐng tā tā jiù shì bù tīng

I reminded him time and again, but he just wouldn't listen.
3 三维 sān wéi — three-dimensional HSK 7
- 三 three (number of dimensions)
- 维 dimension
Example

这个游戏使用三维图形技术。

zhè ge yóu xì shǐ yòng sān wéi tú xíng jì shù

This game uses three-dimensional graphics technology.
4 三角 sān jiǎo — triangle HSK 7
- 三 three (indicating three sides/angles)
- 角 angle/corner (geometric concept)
Example

桌子上有一个三角尺。

zhuō zi shàng yǒu yí gè sān jiǎo chǐ

There is a set square on the table.
5 丢三落四 diū sān là sì — forgetful and careless HSK 7
- 丢 to lose
- 三 three (symbolic number indicating frequency)
- 落 to drop, to leave behind
- 四 four (symbolic number indicating frequency)
Example

他总是丢三落四，今天又忘带钥匙了。

tā zǒng shì diū sān là sì jīn tiān yòu wàng dài yào shi le

He's always forgetful and careless; today he forgot to bring his keys again.

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6 举一反三 jǔ yī fǎn sān — draw inferences from one example HSK 7
- 举 raise, give (an example)
- 一 one (example)
- 反 infer back, deduce
- 三 three (representing many)
Example

她很聪明，学习时总能举一反三。

tā hěn cōng ming xué xí shí zǒng néng jǔ yī fǎn sān

She is very smart and can always draw inferences from one example when studying.
7 接二连三 jiē èr lián sān — one after another HSK 7
- 接 connect, join
- 二 two (beginning of sequence)
- 连 link, connect continuously
- 三 three (continuation of sequence)
Example

最近公司接二连三地出现问题。

zuì jìn gōng sī jiē èr lián sān de chū xiàn wèn tí

Recently, the company has had problems one after another.