📖 Meaning
A dwelling or location that is both secure and convenient. The idiom describes a place where one feels protected and at ease while also finding it practically advantageous for daily life. It often carries a subtle irony, suggesting that what one takes for a safe haven may be perilously narrow in scope.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the 'Xu Wugui' chapter of the Daoist classic Zhuangzi, attributed to the philosopher Zhuang Zhou (c. 4th century BCE). In the passage, Zhuangzi describes a louse that dwells in the folds of a pig's skin — between the hoof crevices, udders, and thigh gaps — and smugly believes these spots to be 'safe chambers and convenient places' (安室利处). The louse's complacency is shattered when the butcher one day singes the pig's bristles and the louse perishes in the flames, never having grasped the true precariousness of its home. The story satirizes those who cling to narrow comforts without recognizing the broader dangers surrounding them.
💡 Example Usage
他在这个小镇上找到了安室利处，从此不愿再漂泊他乡。
He found a safe and convenient haven in this small town and never wished to wander again.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 安室利处
- Pinyin: ān shì lì chù
- Literal Translation: safe, chamber, convenient, place
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4