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朝三暮四

zhāo sān mù sì

HSK 7–9

Meaning

  • lit. say three in the morning but four in the evening (idiom); to change sth that is already settled upon
  • indecisive
  • to blow hot and cold

Definition

比喻一个人反复无常,没有恒心,或者说话、做事经常变卦。

Metaphor for someone who is fickle, lacking perseverance, or constantly changing their words or actions.

Usage

常用来形容人的态度、意见或行为反复无常,不专一。

Often used to describe a person's attitude, opinion, or behavior that is capricious and lacks consistency.

Examples

  • 1 他这个人朝三暮四,今天喜欢这个,明天又喜欢那个,一点定性都没有。 (He is so fickle, liking this today and that tomorrow, with no stability at all.)
  • 2 做事情不能朝三暮四,否则很难成功。 (In doing things, you cannot be inconsistent; otherwise, it's hard to succeed.)
  • 3 他的感情生活总是朝三暮四,换了好几个女朋友了。 (His love life is always unstable; he has changed several girlfriends.)
  • 4 学习需要持之以恒,朝三暮四只会浪费时间。 (Learning requires perseverance; being fickle only wastes time.)
  • 5 她订了计划又改,朝三暮四的,让人困惑。 (She makes plans and then changes them, being inconsistent, which is confusing.)

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