📖 Meaning
The teeth fall out but the tongue endures. This metaphor illustrates that what is hard and rigid is easily broken, while what is soft and flexible often survives. It reflects a Daoist philosophy on the power of gentleness and yielding.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from 'Shuo Yuan: On Caution' (说苑·敬慎) by Liu Xiang of the Han Dynasty. The text poses a rhetorical question: 'The tongue survives — is it not because it is soft? The teeth perish — is it not because they are hard?' The passage draws on ancient Daoist wisdom contrasting the endurance of softness with the fragility of hardness, a theme also found in the Laozi (Daodejing).
💡 Example Usage
爷爷常说齿亡舌存的道理，教导我们做人要温和谦逊。
Grandpa often spoke of the principle that teeth perish while the tongue endures, teaching us to be gentle and humble in life.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 齿亡舌存
- Pinyin: chǐ wáng shé cún
- Literal Translation: teeth, perish, tongue, remains
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4