Chinese idioms from the Dao De Jing
53 idioms still used in Chinese today come from the Dao De Jing. 33 are word for word in the text; the others rework one of its lines. Each page gives the line, plays it, and shows the idiom in modern sentences.
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Humility and greatness
Idioms on Humility and greatness: the idiom, its meaning and the chapter it comes from
Idiom Meaning Chapter
和光同尘 hé guāng tóng chén To keep one's brilliance hidden and live in harmony with the ordinary world. 4 *
功成身退 gōng chéng shēn tuì To step down once your work is done, without clinging to position or credit. 9 *
虚怀若谷 xū huái ruò gǔ Humble and open-minded, with room for other people's views, as a valley has room for all that flows into it. 15 *
知白守黑 zhī bái shǒu hēi Seeing clearly what is bright, yet keeping oneself in the dark: knowing much without showing it. 28 *
大器晚成 dà qì wǎn chéng A person of great ability often succeeds late in life. 41
大方无隅 dà fāng wú yú Something truly great and upright shows no sharp corners: integrity that is broad, not harsh. 41
大成若缺 dà chéng ruò quē What is truly complete looks as if something were missing, and it never wears out. 45
大巧若拙 dà qiǎo ruò zhuō Truly skilled people do not show off, and may even look clumsy. 45
大辩若讷 dà biàn ruò nè Truly eloquent people speak little and may seem slow of speech. 45
大智若愚 dà zhì ruò yú People of great wisdom keep it out of sight and may even look foolish. 45 *
光而不耀 guāng ér bù yào To have brilliance, talent or virtue, without showing it off. 58 *
被褐怀玉 pī hè huái yù Plain on the outside, rich in talent and virtue within, and in no hurry to show it. 70
The soft and the hard
Idioms on The soft and the hard: the idiom, its meaning and the chapter it comes from
Idiom Meaning Chapter
上善若水 shàng shàn ruò shuǐ The best kind of goodness is like water: it benefits everyone, asks for nothing and is content to stay low. 8
委曲求全 wěi qū qiú quán To give way and put up with wrongs in order to keep the peace or save what matters. 22 *
知雄守雌 zhī xióng shǒu cí Knowing what strength is, yet choosing to stay soft and yielding instead of contending. 28 *
柔弱胜刚强 róu ruò shèng gāng qiáng What is soft and yielding wins in the end over what is hard and rigid. 36
以德报怨 yǐ dé bào yuàn To answer a wrong or a grudge with kindness instead of revenge. 63 *
哀兵必胜 āi bīng bì shèng The side that has been wronged or pushed to the wall, and fights with grief and resolve, will win. 69 *
Acting and beginning
Idioms on Acting and beginning: the idiom, its meaning and the chapter it comes from
Idiom Meaning Chapter
将欲取之，必先予之 jiāng yù qǔ zhī, bì xiān yǔ zhī To get something, first give something: a concession now for a greater gain later. 36 *
轻诺寡信 qīng nuò guǎ xìn Someone who promises lightly seldom keeps their word, and so earns little trust. 63 *
千里之行，始于足下 qiān lǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià Every great undertaking begins with a first small step, and is achieved little by little. 64
合抱之木，生于毫末 hé bào zhī mù, shēng yú háo mò Everything great grows from something tiny; so build patiently, and deal with trouble while it is still small. 64
九层之台，起于累土 jiǔ céng zhī tái, qǐ yú lěi tǔ Every high achievement rests on a foundation built up bit by bit. 64
慎终如始 shèn zhōng rú shǐ Stay as careful at the end of an undertaking as at its start, and it will not fail. 64
Knowing and speaking
Idioms on Knowing and speaking: the idiom, its meaning and the chapter it comes from
Idiom Meaning Chapter
目迷五色 mù mí wǔ sè So many colors, or choices, that the eyes are dazzled and cannot tell things apart. 12 *
自知之明 zì zhī zhī míng The ability to see oneself clearly, above all one's own limits. 33 *
不出户，知天下 bù chū hù, zhī tiān xià One can know the world without leaving home. 47
正言若反 zhèng yán ruò fǎn A true statement often sounds like its opposite; a paradox that turns out to be right. 78
Governing and war
Idioms on Governing and war: the idiom, its meaning and the chapter it comes from
Idiom Meaning Chapter
绝圣弃智 jué shèng qì zhì To give up cleverness and contrived knowledge and return to simplicity; Laozi's idea of governing by non-action. 19
以正治国，以奇用兵 yǐ zhèng zhì guó, yǐ qí yòng bīng Run a state by what is right and regular; fight a war by what the enemy does not expect. 57
根深蒂固 gēn shēn dì gù So deeply rooted that it cannot be shaken; said today mostly of habits, beliefs or prejudices that are hard to change. 59 *
治大国若烹小鲜 zhì dà guó ruò pēng xiǎo xiān Governing, or running anything large, calls for a light and steady hand: too much stirring breaks it apart. 60
小国寡民 xiǎo guó guǎ mín A small country with a small population; above all, Laozi's ideal of a simple, self-sufficient and peaceful society. 80
Life, death and fortune
Idioms on Life, death and fortune: the idiom, its meaning and the chapter it comes from
Idiom Meaning Chapter
出生入死 chū shēng rù sǐ To face mortal danger, to risk one's life, often side by side with others. 50
祸福相依 huò fú xiāng yī Misfortune and good fortune depend on each other, and one can turn into the other. 58 *
长生久视 cháng shēng jiǔ shì To live long and keep one's eyes, ears and strength; long life. 59
Heaven, earth and the Way
Idioms on Heaven, earth and the Way: the idiom, its meaning and the chapter it comes from
Idiom Meaning Chapter
天长地久 tiān cháng dì jiǔ As lasting as heaven and earth: forever, said above all of love and friendship. 7
见素抱朴 jiàn sù bào pǔ To keep to one's plain, original nature, untouched by show and outside temptations. 19
道法自然 dào fǎ zì rán The Way takes as its model what is so of itself; things go best when they follow their own course and are not forced. 25
物壮则老 wù zhuàng zé lǎo Whatever grows strong begins to age: at the peak of its power a thing turns toward decline. 30
大音希声 dà yīn xī shēng The greatest music is barely heard: what is highest is quiet, plain and unforced. 41
大象无形 dà xiàng wú xíng The greatest image has no visible shape: what is truly great is not bound to any one form. 41
天网恢恢，疏而不漏 tiān wǎng huī huī, shū ér bù lòu Wrongdoers cannot escape in the end: justice, like heaven's net, misses no one. 73 *
* Reworked from a line of the chapter, not word for word in the text.
