成竹在胸 (chéng zhú zài xiōng) — to have a well‑thought‑out plan; to be fully prepared and therefore confident

Definition

A chengyu meaning to already have a clear, confident plan in mind before acting — the image is of a bamboo shoot grown fully formed in the painter's chest.

idiom
to have a well‑thought‑out planto be fully prepared and therefore confident

Examples

  • 成竹在胸，。
    Zhè cì tán pàn tā zǎo yǐ chéng zhú zài xiōng, suǒ yǐ yì diǎn yě bù jǐn zhāng.
    He already had a well-thought-out plan for this negotiation, so he wasn't nervous at all.
  • ，成竹在胸，。
    Miàn duì kǎo shì, wǒ chéng zhú zài xiōng, yīn wèi fù xí le hǎo jǐ biàn.
    Facing the exam, I was fully prepared and confident because I had reviewed it several times.
  • 成竹在胸，。
    Jiào liàn chéng zhú zài xiōng, suǒ yǐ zài bǐ sài zhōng fēi cháng chén zhuó.
    The coach had a well-thought-out plan, so he remained very calm during the competition.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

竹 pictures two bamboo stalks with leaves.

Open 竹 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

Open 在 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
匈
匈xiōng胸xiōng
Same sound today

胸 adds 肉 (meat/flesh) to the original form 匈, which provides the sound.

Open 胸 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.