📖 Meaning
Looking for a fine horse by following its picture. It metaphorically means acting rigidly according to fixed rules or a blueprint, often without regard for actual circumstances. It can also mean following clues to track down something.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces back to the Book of Han, Biography of Mei Fu (《汉书·梅福传》), where the Western Han scholar Mei Fu criticized the court for selecting officials using outdated methods, comparing it to seeking a fine horse in the marketplace using only Bole's illustrated guide. The tale is also linked to the legendary horse connoisseur Bole (伯乐), whose son tried to find a great horse by mechanically matching it to his father's drawings but ended up bringing back a toad instead. This story illustrates the folly of applying formulas blindly without genuine understanding.
💡 Example Usage
做学问不能按图索骥，要善于独立思考。
In scholarship one cannot simply follow a rigid formula; one must be adept at independent thinking.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 按图索骥
- Pinyin: àn tú suǒ jì
- Literal Translation: follow, picture, seek, fine horse
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4