📖 Meaning
This idiom means to amass knowledge, skill, or resources extensively over a long period, and then to release or apply them gradually and effectively at the right moment. It emphasizes that thorough preparation is the prerequisite for success — only with abundant accumulation can one act decisively when the opportunity arrives.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase has no recorded classical source in most dictionaries, but it is widely attributed to a line by the Song dynasty writer Su Shi in his essay 稼说送张琥: '博观而约取，厚积而薄发' (observe broadly and take selectively; accumulate deeply and release sparingly). Su Shi used the metaphor of farming — crops must be deeply rooted and nourished before they can yield a rich harvest — to encourage his friend to study patiently instead of seeking quick results. Over time the phrase was condensed into the four-character idiom 厚积薄发, which is now a popular modern motto about diligence and readiness.
💡 Example Usage
十年苦读，厚积薄发，他终于一朝成名。
After ten years of arduous study and deep accumulation, he finally achieved fame at a single stroke.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 厚积薄发
- Pinyin: hòu jī bó fā
- Literal Translation: deep accumulation, slow release
- Category: Learning
- Characters: 4