朝三暮四

Chinese

Etymology

From a parable seen in both Zhuangzi (see quote below) and Liezi.

狙公賦芧，曰：「朝三而暮四。」衆狙皆怒。曰：「然則朝四而暮三。」衆狙皆悅。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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狙公赋芧，曰：「朝三而暮四。」众狙皆怒。曰：「然则朝四而暮三。」众狙皆悦。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

Jū gōng fù xù, yuē: “Zhāo sān ér mù sì.” Zhòng jū jiē nù. Yuē: “Rán zé zhāo sì ér mù sān.” Zhòng jū jiē yuè.

There was a man who kept monkeys as pets. While feeding chestnuts to the monkeys, he said, " three in the morning, and four in the evening." The monkeys all went angry. The man later said, "How about four in the morning, and three in the evening?" The monkeys all became happy.

Pronunciation

Idiom

朝三暮四

1. (original meaning, obsolete) to deceive using tricks; to take in someone
2. (now more commonly, derogatory) to change one's mind frequently; to blow hot and cold; to be fickle or capricious

Descendants

See also

• 朝秦暮楚 (zhāoqínmùchǔ)

Japanese

Etymology

Derived from, and now a false friend of Chinese 朝三暮四 (zhāosānmùsì).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ちょーさんぼ​し (Nakadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

朝(ちょう)三(さん)暮(ぼ)四(し) • (chōsanboshi) ^{←てうさんぼし (teusanbosi)?}

1. a focus on cosmetic differences between two objects without realizing that they are substantively identical, distinction without a difference
2. the act of deceiving a person

References