Definition
坐以待毙 is a four-character idiom meaning to passively wait for doom without trying to escape or fight back — literally 'sit and wait for death'. You use it to criticize inaction when action is still possible. It appears in formal or serious contexts such as business crises, military standoffs, or competitive pressure.
f.e.
to sit back and wait for deathto take no action in the face of dangerpassively accepting defeat or doom
Examples
- ，坐以待毙。Gōngsī rúguǒ zài bù gǎigé, jiù zhǐ néng zuò yǐ dài bì le.If the company doesn't reform, it can only sit back and wait for death.
- 坐以待毙，。Wǒmen bù néng zuò yǐ dài bì, bìxū zhǔdòng chūjī.We cannot sit back and wait for death; we must take the initiative to attack.
- ，坐以待毙。Yù dào kùnnan yào jījí jiějué, bú yào zuò yǐ dài bì.When encountering difficulties, actively solve them — don't sit back and wait for death.
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