📖 Meaning
A metaphor for taking advantage of a favorable situation to stop or let go of an effort, much like a boat lowering its sail to halt. It implies wisely ceasing action at the right moment rather than pushing forward unnecessarily. The idiom conveys a sense of timely retreat or graceful disengagement.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Qing dynasty novel Nie Hai Hua (孽海花) by Zeng Pu, in Chapter 31. In the passage, a character observes that someone has unexpectedly cast off the boat's moorings mid-journey, which she recognizes as a prearranged plan. She therefore decides to take advantage of the situation and lower the sail—that is, to conveniently stop and save herself much trouble. The metaphor draws on the nautical practice of lowering a sail to bring a boat to a halt.
💡 Example Usage
既然对方已经让步，他也就趁势落篷，不再追究了。
Since the other party had already conceded, he took the opportunity to let the matter rest and did not pursue it further.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 趁势落篷
- Pinyin: chèn shì luò péng
- Literal Translation: seize the momentum, lower the sail
- Category: Wisdom
- Characters: 4