待价而沽 (dài jià ér gū) — to wait for the best offer; to bide one's time for the right opportunity (often used for talents or services)

Definition

Literally 'wait for a price before selling' — to hold out for the best offer, usually referring to talented people or valuable services waiting for the right opportunity.

idiom
to wait for the best offerto bide one's time for the right opportunity (often used for talents or services)

Examples

  • ，待价而沽，。
    Tā bìng bù jí yú zhǎo gōng zuò, ér shì zài dài jià ér gū, xún zhǎo zuì shì hé zì jǐ de jī huì.
    He is not in a rush to find a job; instead, he is waiting for the best opportunity to find the one that suits him most.
  • 待价而沽，。
    Zhè xiē yōu xiù de rén cái dōu zài dài jià ér gū, zhī děng yí gè néng chōng fèn fā huī tā men cái néng de zhí wèi.
    These outstanding talents are all waiting for the best offer, just hoping for a position that can fully utilize their abilities.
  • ，待价而沽，。
    Gōng sī kāi chū de tiáo jiàn bú gòu hǎo, tā jué dìng dài jià ér gū, děng gèng hǎo de jī huì.
    The conditions offered by the company were not good enough, so he decided to wait for a better opportunity.

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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì待dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

待 is built from 彳 on the left and 寺 on the right; 彳 is tied to the meaning, and 寺 gives the sound.

Open 待 →

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
人人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
介
介jiè价jiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

价 pairs 人 (person) with 介, which gives the sound.

Open 价 →

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

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ沽gū
Same sound today

In 沽, the 水 part is water and 古 gives the sound.

Open 沽 →

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