1. Home
  2. Dictionary
  3. 守株待兔

守株待兔

shǒu zhū dài tù

HSK 7–9

Meaning

  • lit. to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits (idiom)
  • to wait idly for opportunities
  • to trust to chance rather than show initiative

Definition

比喻不主动努力，存在侥幸心理，希望得到意外的收获。

To wait for a rabbit to run into a tree stump; to wait for easy success without making any effort; to be overoptimistic and wait for a windfall.

Usage

通常用作谓语、定语、宾语，含贬义。

Usually used as predicate, attributive, or object, with a derogatory connotation.

Examples

  • 1 他总想守株待兔，不劳而获，最终一事无成。(He always wants to wait for a windfall without working hard, and ends up achieving nothing.)
  • 2 机会不会从天而降，守株待兔的态度是不可取的。(Opportunities won't fall from the sky; the attitude of waiting for a windfall is undesirable.)
  • 3 我们不能守株待兔，必须主动出击寻找新的市场。(We cannot wait for a windfall; we must take the initiative to explore new markets.)
  • 4 学习不能守株待兔，要勤奋刻苦才能取得好成绩。(In studying, you cannot wait for a windfall; only hard work can lead to good results.)
  • 5 他守株待兔地等着老板给他升职，却从不主动表现。(He waited for a windfall, hoping his boss would promote him, but never took the initiative to show his abilities.)

Put it into practice

Exam-style HSK drills with instant scoring and explanations.

Find my HSK level

Free · about 3 minutes · no account needed