后顾之忧hòu gù zhī yōufears of trouble in the rear (idiom); family worries (obstructing freedom of action)

1. 1.

   fears of trouble in the rear (idiom); family worries (obstructing freedom of action)idiom

2. 2.

   worries about the future consequencesidiom

Figurative meaning

Fears of trouble in the rear; family worries (obstructing freedom of action); worries about the future consequences.

• 后back
• 顾not compositional here
• 之(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5])
• 忧anxiety

The story

The emperor said that because Li Chong was kind, wise, loyal, and refined, he had trusted him with high office, so that when the emperor left the capital he had no worries about what lay behind him; now that Li Chong had suddenly fallen ill, the emperor was deeply grieved.

后顾之忧 can appear in phrases like 没有后顾之忧 or 解决后顾之忧, in both formal and everyday speech.

1. HSK 3

   公司帮员工解决了孩子上学的问题，让他们没有后顾之忧。

   Gōngsī bāng yuángōng jiějué le háizi shàngxué de wèntí, ràng tāmen méiyǒu hòu gù zhī yōu.

   The company solved the problem of the employees' children's schooling, so they have no worries back home.

2. HSK 4

   父母身体很好，他出国工作没有后顾之忧。

   Fùmǔ shēntǐ hěn hǎo, tā chūguó gōngzuò méiyǒu hòu gù zhī yōu.

   His parents are healthy, so he can work abroad without worrying about home.

3. HSK 5

   买了保险以后，她觉得少了很多后顾之忧。

   Mǎi le bǎoxiǎn yǐhòu, tā juéde shǎo le hěn duō hòu gù zhī yōu.

   After buying insurance, she felt she had far fewer worries about the future.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   你真的要去外地工作吗？

   Nǐ zhēnde yào qù wàidì gōngzuò ma?

   Are you really going to work in another city?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   是的，可是我担心家里的孩子。

   Shìde, kěshì wǒ dānxīn jiā lǐ de háizi.

   Yes, but I'm worried about my kids at home.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   别担心，我帮你照顾他们。

   Bié dānxīn, wǒ bāng nǐ zhàogù tāmen.

   Don't worry, I'll help look after them.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   太好了，这样我就没有后顾之忧了。

   Tài hǎo le, zhèyàng wǒ jiù méiyǒu hòu gù zhī yōu le.

   Great, then I'll have nothing to worry about back home.

1. 1.What does 后顾之忧 mean?

   AWorries about trouble back home or about future consequencesBJoy about a past successCA plan for a trip
2. 2.Which sentence uses 后顾之忧 correctly?

   A有人照顾父母，他就没有后顾之忧了。B今天的天气很后顾之忧。C我后顾之忧地吃了午饭。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 家里有人帮忙，你可以放心工作，没有____。 (Someone at home can help, so you can work at ease with no worries behind you.)

   A后顾之忧B如火如荼C一见钟情

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Related idioms

• 井底之蛙jǐng dǐ zhī wāa person of limited outlook and experienceHSK 7–9
• 当务之急dāng wù zhī jí(idiom) top priority job; a matter of the greatest urgencyHSK 7–9
• 持之以恒chí zhī yǐ héngto pursue unremittingly (idiom); to persevereHSK 7–9
• 来之不易lái zhī bú yì(idiom) hard to come by; not easily obtainedHSK 7–9
• 三顾茅庐sān gù máo lúto make earnest and repeated requests of sbNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 惊弓之鸟jīng gōng zhī niǎosb who frightens easily, due to past experiencesNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus

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