📖 Meaning
To be irresolute and unable to make up one's mind. It describes a state of prolonged hesitation where a person wavers back and forth without reaching a decision, often missing the right moment to act.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom first appears in Chapter 22 of Luo Guanzhong's classic Ming-dynasty novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' (《三国演义》). During a military council, four advisors presented conflicting strategies to the warlord Yuan Shao (袁绍), each arguing vigorously for their own plan. Yuan Shao, overwhelmed by the contradictory advice, paced back and forth, unable to commit to any course of action — a fatal indecisiveness that would later contribute to his downfall. The idiom was later reinforced by Feng Menglong's 'Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms' (《东周列国志》), where Duke Jing of Qi similarly hesitated over appointing a successor due to clan suspicions.
💡 Example Usage
面对两个工作机会，他踌躇不决，迟迟无法做出选择。
Faced with two job offers, he hesitated and wavered, unable to make a choice for a long time.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 踌躇不决
- Pinyin: chóu chú bù jué
- Literal Translation: hesitate, waver, not, decide
- Category: Determination
- Characters: 4