📖 Meaning
Literally meaning a short well-rope cannot draw water from a deep well. It metaphorically describes someone whose abilities or resources are insufficient to handle a demanding or complex task. Often used as a humble acknowledgment of one's own limitations.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from 'Zhuangzi: Perfect Happiness' (《庄子·至乐》), a Daoist text from the Warring States period attributed to Zhuang Zhou. The original line states that a small bag cannot hold large items, just as a short rope cannot draw water from a deep well. Over time, the metaphor was condensed into the four-character idiom '短绠汲深' to caution against taking on tasks beyond one's capacity.
💡 Example Usage
这项工程极为复杂，以我现有的经验，实属短绠汲深，恐怕难以胜任。
This project is extremely complex; with my current experience it is like drawing deep water with a short rope, and I fear I am not up to the task.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 短绠汲深
- Pinyin: duǎn gěng jí shēn
- Literal Translation: short, rope, draw water, deep
- Category: Ability
- Characters: 4