朝三暮四zhāo sān mù sìto change sth that is already settled upon

1. 1.

   to change sth that is already settled uponidiom

2. 2.

   indecisiveidiom

3. 3.

   to blow hot and coldidiom

Figurative meaning

To change something that is already settled upon; indecisive; to blow hot and cold.

Literal meaning

Say three in the morning but four in the evening.

• 朝morning
• 三three
• 暮evening
• 四four

The story

A monkey keeper, handing out acorns, said, “Three in the morning and four in the evening.”

朝三暮四 can criticize someone who keeps changing decisions, plans or loyalties.

1. HSK 4

   他的计划总是朝三暮四，今天这样，明天那样。

   Tā de jìhuà zǒngshì zhāo sān mù sì, jīntiān zhèyàng, míngtiān nàyàng.

   His plans keep changing: one way today, another way tomorrow.

2. HSK 3

   你已经决定了，就不要朝三暮四。

   Nǐ yǐjīng juédìng le, jiù búyào zhāo sān mù sì.

   You've already decided, so don't keep changing your mind.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   我想学中文，不，还是学日语吧。

   Wǒ xiǎng xué Zhōngwén, bù, háishi xué Rìyǔ ba.

   I want to learn Chinese—no, maybe Japanese.

2. 
   Speaker B:

   你上个月说要学中文。

   Nǐ shàng ge yuè shuō yào xué Zhōngwén.

   Last month you said you'd learn Chinese.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   对，可是我又变了。

   Duì, kěshì wǒ yòu biàn le.

   Right, but I changed my mind again.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   别朝三暮四了，先学好一个吧。

   Bié zhāo sān mù sì le, xiān xuéhǎo yí ge ba.

   Stop chopping and changing; learn one well first.

1. 1.What does 朝三暮四 mean?

   ATo keep changing something already settled; indecisiveBTo get up early every morningCTo count from three to four
2. 2.Which sentence uses 朝三暮四 correctly?

   A他做事朝三暮四，大家都不相信他。B这本书很朝三暮四地好看。C我朝三暮四点起床。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 决定了就做，别____。 (Once you decide, do it; don't keep changing.)

   A朝三暮四B画龙点睛C人山人海

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Related idioms

• 举一反三jǔ yī fǎn sānto raise one and infer threeHSK 7–9
• 三顾茅庐sān gù máo lúto make earnest and repeated requests of sbNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 四面楚歌sì miàn chǔ gēsurrounded by enemies, isolated and without helpNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 一举两得yì jǔ liǎng détwo birds with one stoneHSK 7–9
• 一如既往yì rú jì wǎng(idiom) just as in the past; as before; continuing as alwaysHSK 7–9
• 一目了然yí mù liǎo ránobvious at a glance (idiom)HSK 7–9

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