Learning Chinese starts with basic single characters, but the next step is combining them into words. To go even further, mastering idioms is the challenge. Here, we offer free resources to help you explore advanced Chinese idioms. Today’s idiom is 「投鼠忌器」, explained below.
Today’s spotlight is on the Chinese idiom 「投鼠忌器」. You’ll find its explanation and usage below.
To throw: to use something to throw; to be afraid: to be afraid, to have concerns. I wanted to use something to hit the mouse, but I was afraid of breaking nearby objects. It is a metaphor for being cautious and not daring to do something.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
tóu shǔ jì qì
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
tau4 syu2 gei6 hei3
Chinese idioms are limitless in number and diversity, presenting endless learning opportunities. These tools are here to help you embrace the beauty of the language.
