每天成语
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功成名就

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: gōng chéng míng jiù
  • English Translation: To achieve success and win fame
  • Idiom Composition: 「功」（Achievement, merit, or a great deed）＋「成」（To accomplish or complete）＋「名」（Reputation, fame, or one's name）＋「就」（To achieve, establish, or attain）
  • Meaning: To accomplish great deeds or a career and establish a high social reputation and status as a result. It is a positive evaluation of a successful person.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「功成名就」 contains the following nuances:

  • The Link Between Merit and Fame: The idiom implies a causal relationship where 功 (gōng), or tangible merit, leads to 名 (míng), or reputation. It suggests that true fame should be built on a foundation of real work rather than just wealth or luck.
  • A Career Pinnacle: In most contexts, it refers to the peak of a career or a state of completion where one's goals have been fully realized, often used when reflecting on a long journey of effort.

3. Usage

「功成名就」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Retirement or later years: Used to describe someone who has reached the end of a long, successful career and is stepping down or returning home in glory.
    • Example:「他在商界奋斗了四十年，如今功成名就，决定退休环游世界。」
      （He worked in the business world for forty years and, now that he has achieved success and fame, he decided to retire and travel the world.)
  • Success at a young age: Used to praise (or sometimes envy) individuals who have reached the pinnacle of their field while still young.
    • Example:「虽然他还不到三十岁，却已经功成名就，成为了行业的领军人物。」
      （Although he is not yet thirty, he has already made a name for himself and become a leader in the industry.)
  • Life goals and ambitions: Mentioned as an ideal state or ultimate goal when discussing future dreams and aspirations.
    • Example:「很多年轻人来到大城市打拼，都梦想着有一天能功成名就。」
      （Many young people come to big cities to work hard, dreaming that one day they will achieve success and fame.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 功成名就之后，他不忘回馈社会，捐资助学。
    （After achieving success and fame, he did not forget to give back to society and donated to support education.）
  2. 并不是每个人都能功成名就，平凡的生活也有它的幸福。
    （Not everyone can become a success with fame and status; there is happiness in an ordinary life as well.）
  3. 他在好莱坞功成名就，是第一位获得该奖项的华人演员。
    （He achieved great success and fame in Hollywood, becoming the first Chinese actor to win that award.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Origin: This phrase originates from the 'Cultivation of the Self' (修身) chapter of the Mozi (墨子), which states: 'When success is achieved and fame is established, reputation must not be false.' It originally served as a reminder that fame must be backed by substance.
  • Confucian Values: In traditional Chinese culture, achieving success and making one's name known to future generations was considered a form of filial piety, as mentioned in the Classic of Filial Piety (孝经) as 'bringing honor to one's parents' (扬名于后世).
  • Modern Context: Today, it is frequently used to describe business success or the acquisition of high social status. While it may not always carry the moral weight it once did, it remains a powerful expression for 'undisputed success'.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

功成名就 (gōng chéng míng jiù) describes a state where one has achieved significant professional success and established a solid social reputation. It is often used as a compliment for high achievers, particularly when they retire or are introduced as leaders. It emphasizes that the fame is earned through tangible achievements 功 (gōng), not just wealth.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

gōng chéng míng jiù
功成名就
Achieving Success and Fame
yī wèi一位yóu yǒng游泳yùn dòng yuán运动员，qī suì七岁kāi shǐ开始xùn liàn训练，yóu游le了èr shí duō nián二十多年，ná拿guò过quán guó全国guàn jūn冠军，pò破guò过jì lù纪录，guǎng gào广告、cǎi fǎng采访、zhǎng shēng掌声，shén me什么dōu都bù不quē缺。

A swimmer began training at the age of seven. After swimming for more than twenty years, he won national championships, broke records, and had everything—advertisements, interviews, and applause.

sān shí suì三十岁nà那nián年，tā他xuān bù宣布tuì yì退役。

At the age of thirty, he announced his retirement.

dì èr tiān第二天de的xīn wén新闻biāo tí标题xiě写zhe着：gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就de的tā他，huí dào回到jiā xiāng家乡de的xiǎo chéng小城，dāng当le了yī míng一名pǔ tōng普通de的yóu yǒng游泳jiào liàn教练。

The next day’s headline read: “After achieving success and fame, he returned to his hometown—a small city—and became an ordinary swimming coach.”

zhè yàng这样de的gù shì故事，xīn wén新闻lǐ里bìng并bù shǎo jiàn不少见。

Stories like this are not uncommon in the news.

ér qiě而且yǒu有gè个yǒu qù有趣de的guī lǜ规律：“gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就”hěn很shǎo少shì是gù shì故事de的jié wěi结尾，xīn wén新闻lǐ里yī一chū xiàn出现zhè这sì gè四个zì字，hòu miàn后面cháng cháng常常gēn zhe跟着yí gè一个“dàn shì但是”，huò zhě或者yí gè一个“zhī hòu之后”——gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就de的shāng rén商人，huí回cūn村zhòng dì种地qù去le了。

There is also an interesting pattern: “achieving success and fame” is rarely the end of the story. When these four characters appear in the news, they are often followed by a “but” or an “afterward”—for example, “The successful and famous businessman went back to his village to farm.”

wèi shén me为什么？

Why?

yīn wèi因为zhè这sì gè四个zì字tīng qǐ lái听起来xiàng像shān dǐng山顶，ér而dà jiā大家zuì最hào qí好奇de的，shì是rén人dào到le了shān dǐng山顶yǐ hòu以后，wǎng往nǎ ér哪儿zǒu走。

Because these four characters sound like the top of a mountain, and what everyone is most curious about is where a person goes after reaching the summit.

nà那“gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就”dào dǐ到底shì是shén me什么yì si意思？

So what exactly does “功成名就” mean?

hěn很jiǎn dān简单，shuō说de的shì是liǎng jiàn两件hǎo shì好事：shì yè事业zuò chéng做成le了，zhè这shì是“gōng功”；míng zì名字bèi被hěn duō很多rén人zhī dào知道、zūn zhòng尊重，zhè这shì是“míng名”。

It is simple: it refers to two good things. Your career has succeeded—that is “功”; your name is known and respected by many people—that is “名.”

liǎng jiàn两件dōu都chéng le成了，jiù就jiào叫gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就。

When both have been achieved, it is called “功成名就.”

tā它wǎng wǎng往往shì是bié rén别人gěi给nǐ你de的píng jià评价，yào shì要是yǒu有shuí谁zì jǐ自己shuō说“wǒ我zǎo jiù早就gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就le了”，tīng qǐ lái听起来jiù就yǒu diǎn有点jiāo ào骄傲，péng yǒu朋友duō bàn多半huì会xiào笑tā他。

It is usually an evaluation given by others. If someone says, “I achieved success and fame a long time ago,” it sounds a little boastful, and their friends will probably laugh at them.

zhè这sì gè四个zì字yě也hěn很zhòng重，bù néng不能suí biàn随便yòng用。

These four characters also carry a lot of weight, so they should not be used casually.

kǎo考le了gè个hǎo好chéng jì成绩，bù suàn不算；yíng赢le了yī cháng一场bǐ sài比赛，yě也bù suàn不算。

Getting a good grade does not count; winning one competition does not count either.

tā它bèi hòu背后xū yào需要hěn很duō nián多年de的nǔ lì努力，cháng cháng常常shì是dà bàn bèi zi大半辈子。

They require many years of effort, often more than half a lifetime.

suǒ yǐ所以tā它yī一chū xiàn出现，zǒng总dài带zhe着pèi fú佩服de的wèi dào味道，xiàng像shì是zài在shuō说：zhè ge这个rén人，zhí de值得zūn jìng尊敬。

That is why, whenever the phrase appears, it carries a sense of admiration, as if to say: “This person deserves respect.”

bù guò不过nián qīng rén年轻人yě也ài爱ná拿zhè这sì gè四个zì字kāi wán xiào开玩笑：“děng等wǒ我gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就de的nà那yī tiān一天，qǐng请nǐ你chī吃dà cān大餐！”

Young people also like to joke with these four characters: “When I achieve success and fame, I’ll treat you to a big meal!”

yì si意思shì是“děng等wǒ我chéng gōng成功le了”。

It means, “When I become successful.”

shuí谁dōu都zhī dào知道zhè这yī tiān一天hái还hěn很yuǎn远，suǒ yǐ所以zhè这gèng更xiàng像yī jù一句kě ài可爱de的dà huà大话。

Everyone knows that day is still far away, so it sounds more like a cute boast.

hái yǒu还有yí gè一个xiǎo小mì mì秘密。

There is one more little secret.

chéng yǔ成语lǐ里de的“chéng成”hé和“jiù就”，yì si意思chà bu duō差不多，dōu都biǎo shì表示“wán chéng完成”。

In the idiom, “成” and “就” have almost the same meaning; both mean “to complete” or “to achieve.”

nǐ你xué学guò过“chéng jiù成就”zhè ge这个cí词ba吧？

You have learned the word “成就,” haven’t you?

zhè这liǎng gè两个zì字jiù就cáng藏zài在“gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就”lǐ里，bèi被chāi拆chéng成le了liǎng两bàn半，zhōng中jiàn gé间隔zhe着yí gè一个“míng名”zì字。

Those two characters are hidden in “功成名就,” split apart with the character “名” between them.

gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就——gōng功hé和míng名，dōu都bèi被“chéng jiù成就”le了。

功成名就—both 功 and 名 have been “成就,” or achieved.

xià cì下次zài在xīn wén新闻lǐ里yù dào遇到“gōng chéng míng jiù功成名就”，děng yī děng等一等，tīng听wán完xià yī jù下一句。

The next time you come across “功成名就” in the news, wait a moment and listen to the next sentence.

nà ge那个“dàn shì但是”hòu miàn后面，wǎng wǎng往往cái才shì是gù shì故事zhēn zhèng真正kāi shǐ开始de的dì fāng地方。

What comes after that “but” is often where the real story begins.

jiù就xiàng像nà那wèi位yóu yǒng游泳yùn dòng yuán运动员：tā他qī suì七岁xià shuǐ下水，rú jīn如今měi tiān每天jiào教de的，yě也shì是qī suì七岁de的hái zi孩子。

Just like that swimmer: he first got into the water at seven, and now the children he teaches every day are also seven years old.

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