Chinese learners move from characters to idioms as the highest level. This free resource explains 「尺蠖求伸」 below.
Today’s idiom is 「尺蠖求伸」. We’ve outlined its meaning and practical application below.
Inchworm: a kind of insect, about two or three inches long, which moves by flexing and stretching. The inchworm uses bending to achieve stretching. A metaphor for the strategy of retreating in order to advance.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
chǐ huò qiú shēn
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
chek3 wok6 kau4 san1
With so many Chinese idioms, each holding diverse meanings and uses, there is much to explore. These materials are designed to support your Chinese language studies.
