朝三暮四
*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.
Have you heard of the idiom 'Morning Three, Evening Four'?
It might sound a bit strange—three in the morning and four in the evening—what does it actually mean?
Actually, there is a very interesting story behind this idiom.
A long time ago, there was a person who raised monkeys.
He fed the monkeys acorns every day.
But later, the number of acorns at his home decreased, so he had no choice but to reduce the monkeys' food.
One day, he said to the monkeys, 'From today on, I will give you three acorns in the morning and four in the evening, okay?'
The monkeys were very angry when they heard this and thought the morning acorns were too few.
Seeing the monkeys unhappy, the man immediately changed his words: 'Alright then, I will give you four in the morning and three in the evening, how about that?'
The monkeys were instantly happy and felt they had gained an advantage.
However, they did not realize that the total number of acorns did not change; it was still seven.
Originally, this idiom expressed that people only focus on small changes in the short term and fail to see that the overall situation remains unchanged, just like the monkeys in the story who are easily fooled by appearances.
In modern times, people also use 'Morning Three, Evening Four' to describe those whose ideas or plans change frequently, lacking clear goals or stable intentions.
For example, some people decide to do one thing today but change their minds to do something else tomorrow, which often causes confusion for those around them.
Therefore, 'Morning Three, Evening Four' reminds us of two points: first, do not just focus on small immediate benefits but see the true nature of things; second, have clear opinions and stable plans when doing things, so you can truly do each task well.
1. Basic Information
- Pinyin: zhāo sān mù sì
- English Translation: Changing orders frequently, being fickle, inconsistent words and actions
- Idiom Composition: 「朝」（Morning）＋「三」（Three）＋「暮」（Evening）＋「四」（Four）
- Meaning: Originating from a story where a monkey trainer told the monkeys they would receive three nuts in the morning and four in the evening, which made them angry, but when reversed to four in the morning and three in the evening, they were pleased. Originally, it meant deceiving by focusing on superficial differences, but now it mainly refers to frequently changing policies or words and actions, showing inconsistency.
2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances
「朝三暮四」 contains the following nuances:
- Deception: Deceiving others by focusing on superficial differences while the essence remains the same.
- Fickleness: Frequent changes in policies, opinions, or attitudes, lacking consistency.
- Lack of integrity: Changing one's attitude opportunistically depending on the situation, showing lack of principles.
- Insincerity: Being unreliable and untrustworthy due to broken promises or inconsistent policies.
3. Usage
「朝三暮四」 is mainly used in the following contexts:
- Criticism: Used to criticize individuals or organizations whose words and actions are inconsistent.
- Example:「他的话总是朝三暮四，完全不能相信。」
（His words are always inconsistent and fickle, completely untrustworthy.）
- Example:「他的话总是朝三暮四，完全不能相信。」
- Reproach: Used to reproach people who change their attitude depending on the situation.
- Example:「那个政治家选举前后言论不一，真是朝三暮四。」
（That politician's statements before and after the election differ; he is truly fickle and inconsistent.）
- Example:「那个政治家选举前后言论不一，真是朝三暮四。」
- Satire: Used to satirize people who try to deceive others with empty words.
- Example:「他总是用朝三暮四的道理，企图迷惑我们。」
（He always tries to confuse us with deceptive reasoning.）
- Example:「他总是用朝三暮四的道理，企图迷惑我们。」
Additional Examples:
- 如此朝三暮四的政策，只会让国民陷入混乱。
（Such a frequently changing policy will only cause confusion among the people.） - 她对时尚的喜好朝三暮四，总是让周围的人大吃一惊。
（Her fashion preferences are fickle, always surprising those around her.） - 关于这个问题，政府的应对朝三暮四，毫无一贯性。
（Regarding this issue, the government's response is inconsistent and ever-changing, lacking coherence.） - 他这个人朝三暮四，你最好别太当真。
（He is a person who is inconsistent in words and actions, so it's best not to take him too seriously.） - 上司的指示朝三暮四，下属们总是被耍得团团转。
（The boss's instructions change frequently, so the subordinates are always being thrown around.）
4. Cultural Background and Notes
- '朝三暮四' originates from a story in the classical Chinese text Zhuangzi, where a monkey trainer's interaction with monkeys illustrates the importance of seeing the essence of things rather than being misled by superficial differences.
- This idiom carries a strongly negative connotation, so it should be used carefully depending on the context and audience.
5. Similar and Opposite Idioms
- Similar Idioms:
- 反复无常 (fǎn fù wú cháng): Describes people or things that change frequently and are inconsistent.
- 变化多端 (biàn huà duō duān): Refers to frequent and unpredictable changes.
- Opposite Idioms:
- 始终如一 (shǐ zhōng rú yī): Being consistent from beginning to end.
- 一成不变 (yì chéng bú biàn): Once established, remaining unchanged.
6. Summary
'朝三暮四' is a nuanced idiom originating from classical Chinese literature. It not only means being fickle but also carries connotations of deception, lack of integrity, and insincerity. Using this idiom appropriately allows you to accurately express contradictions and inconsistencies in people's words and actions.