📖 Meaning
An inch of time is worth more than a foot of jade. The idiom emphasizes that time is extraordinarily precious and should be treasured above even the most valuable material wealth. It urges people to make the most of every moment.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Western Han dynasty text Huainanzi (《淮南子》), specifically the chapter 'Yuandao Xun' (《原道训》), compiled under the patronage of Liu An, Prince of Huainan. The text states that sages do not prize a foot of jade but instead treasure an inch of time, because time is difficult to gain yet easy to lose. This passage became the basis for the idiom, conveying the timeless lesson that time is the most valuable resource a person possesses.
💡 Example Usage
他深知尺壁寸阴的道理，从不浪费任何时间。
He deeply understood the principle that an inch of time is worth more than a foot of jade, and never wasted a single moment.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 尺壁寸阴
- Pinyin: chǐ bì cùn yīn
- Literal Translation: foot, jade, inch, time
- Category: Wisdom
- Characters: 4