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居安思危 (jū ān-sī wēi) — to be vigilant even in times of peace; to prepare for danger in times of safety (idiom)

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'stay alert to danger even in peaceful times' — a virtue of foresight and preparedness, often invoked in leadership and governance contexts.

phrase
to be vigilant even in times of peaceto prepare for danger in times of safety (idiom)

Examples

  • 居安思危，。
    Yí gè yōu xiù de lǐng dǎo zhě yīng dāng jū ān-sī wēi, fáng huàn yú wèi rán.
    An excellent leader should be vigilant even in times of peace and take preventive measures.
  • ，居安思危，。
    Suī rán xiàn zài jīng jì xíng shì bú cuò, dàn wǒ men yě yào jū ān-sī wēi, zuò hǎo fēng xiǎn zhǔn bèi.
    Although the current economic situation is good, we must also prepare for danger in times of safety and get ready for risks.
  • 居安思危。
    jū ān-sī wēi Zhè ge dào lǐ shì yòng yú guó jiā zhì lǐ hé rì cháng shēng huó.
    The principle of staying vigilant in peacetime applies to both national governance and daily life.

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
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ居jū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

居 is built from 尸 as the meaning part and 古 (gǔ) as the sound part.

Open 居 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
囟
囟xìn思sī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 思, 心 (heart) points to thinking, while the top part is a changed form of 囟, which supplied the sound.

Open 思 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 厃厃wěiperson on a cliff or mountain
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

危 is built from 厃, showing a person on a cliff or mountain, and 卩, showing a kneeling person.

Open 危 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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