📖 Meaning
Literally meaning to climb to a great height and tread upon dangerous ground, this idiom is a metaphor for feeling fearful, anxious, and deeply apprehensive. It conveys the constant trepidation one experiences when placed in a high or precarious position, much like the nervous caution of standing at an elevation where a single misstep could prove disastrous.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces to the Han dynasty text Huainanzi (《淮南子》), specifically the chapter Yuan Dao Xun (原道训). The original passage advises that when climbing to a height and looking down, one must not lose sight of what one holds, and when treading dangerous and perilous paths, one must never forget humble reverence. Over time, the expression came to be used metaphorically to describe a state of anxious fearfulness and constant apprehension. The Song dynasty poet Qin Guan employed it in his poem Xue Lang Shi (《雪浪石》) to depict someone who, even while standing in a perilous position, maintained an unchanging composure.
💡 Example Usage
身居要职者，常怀登高履危之感，不敢有丝毫懈怠。
Those holding important positions often harbor a constant sense of trepidation, never daring to slacken in the slightest.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 登高履危
- Pinyin: dēng gāo lǚ wēi
- Literal Translation: climb high, tread danger
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4