成语故事：守株待兔 Idiom Story: Waiting by the Stump for a Rabbit

很久以前hěn jiǔ yǐqián，宋国Sòngguó有yǒu一yí个ge农民nóngmín，他tā的de地dì里li有yǒu一yí个ge树桩shùzhuāng。

Long ago, in the State of Song, there was a farmer, and in his field stood a tree stump.

有一天yǒu yì tiān，他tā正在zhèngzài地dì里li忙máng着zhe，突然tūrán一yì只zhī兔子tùzi很hěn快kuài地de跑pǎo过来guòlai，一下子yíxiàzi撞zhuàng在zài树桩shùzhuāng上shang，死sǐ了le。

One day, while he was busy in the field, a rabbit suddenly came running over at full speed, crashed straight into the stump and died.

农民nóngmín高兴gāoxìng极了jíle：他tā一点儿yìdiǎnr力气lìqi也yě没méi花huā，就jiù捡jiǎn到dào了le一yì只zhī很hěn大dà的de兔子tùzi。

The farmer was overjoyed: without spending the slightest effort, he had picked up a big rabbit.

他tā想xiǎng：“如果rúguǒ每měi天tiān都dōu能néng捡jiǎn到dào一yì只zhī兔子tùzi，我wǒ就jiù不用búyòng这么zhème辛苦xīnkǔ地de种zhòng地dì了le。”

He thought: "If I can pick up a rabbit every day, I won't have to work the fields so hard any more."

于是yúshì，他tā不再bú zài种zhòng地dì，每měi天tiān都dōu坐zuò在zài树桩shùzhuāng旁边pángbiān，等děng下xià一yì只zhī兔子tùzi撞zhuàng过来guòlai。

So he stopped farming and sat beside the stump every day, waiting for the next rabbit to crash into it.

可是kěshì一yì天tiān一yì天tiān过去guòqu了le，他tā连lián一yì只zhī兔子tùzi也yě没méi等děng到dào。

But day after day went by, and he didn't get even a single rabbit.

他tā的de地dì里li长zhǎng满mǎn了le草cǎo，他tā不但búdàn没有méiyǒu兔子tùzi吃chī，还hái成chéng了le全quán宋国Sòngguó的de笑话xiàohua。

Weeds grew all over his field; not only did he have no rabbit to eat, he also became the laughingstock of the whole State of Song.

今天jīntiān，人们rénmen用yòng“守株待兔shǒu zhū dài tù”来lái说shuō那些nàxiē不bù想xiǎng努力nǔlì、只zhǐ想xiǎng靠kào运气yùnqi的de人rén。

Today, people use 守株待兔 to describe those who don't want to make an effort and just want to rely on luck.

我wǒ的de同学tóngxué小林Xiǎo Lín明天míngtiān就要jiùyào考试kǎoshì了le，可是kěshì他tā今天jīntiān晚上wǎnshang还hái躺tǎng在zài床chuáng上shang玩wán手机shǒujī，说shuō：“也许yěxǔ这zhè次cì考试kǎoshì特别tèbié简单jiǎndān呢ne。”

My classmate Xiao Lin has an exam tomorrow, but tonight he's still lying in bed playing on his phone, saying: "Maybe this exam will be really easy."

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

守株待兔shǒu zhū dài tùto guard a tree stump and wait for rabbits (to wait for luck instead of working)

农民nóngmínfarmer; peasant

树桩shùzhuāngtree stump

兔子tùzirabbit

撞zhuàngto crash into; to bump against

运气yùnqiluck; fortune

Grammar note 语法点

连……也……

"Even" — stresses an extreme case, usually in a negative sentence: 他连一只兔子也没等到。 (He didn't get even one rabbit.)

他太忙了，连吃饭的时间也没有。 — He's so busy he doesn't even have time to eat.

不但……还……

"Not only … but also"; the second part adds something further: 他不但没有兔子吃，还成了全宋国的笑话。

她不但会说中文，还会写很多汉字。 — She can not only speak Chinese but also write lots of characters.

靠

"To rely on; to depend on", followed by what you depend on: 只想靠运气的人 (people who only want to rely on luck).

他靠自己的努力找到了工作。 — He found a job through his own hard work.

Check yourself 小测验

1. How did the farmer get his first rabbit?

2. What did the farmer do after that?

3. Which person today is most like the farmer?

成语故事：守株待兔Chéngyǔ gùshi: Shǒu zhū dài tùIdiom Story: Waiting by the Stump for a Rabbit

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

More HSK 4 reading practice