📖 Meaning
Literally 'silent as a winter cicada.' It describes someone who stays completely silent out of fear or apprehension. The idiom is used to characterize people who dare not speak up because they are afraid of the consequences.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the 'Book of Later Han' (《后汉书·杜密传》), a history of the Eastern Han dynasty. Du Mi, an upright official, criticized a colleague named Liu Sheng who held a prestigious position but never recommended talented people or spoke out against wrongdoing. Du Mi compared Liu Sheng to a cicada in late autumn that makes no sound, calling him a sinner who protected himself at the expense of his duty. The phrase 'self-same as a cold cicada' (自同寒蝉) later evolved into the idiom 噤若寒蝉.
💡 Example Usage
面对老板严厉的质问，他噤若寒蝉，一句话也说不出来。
Faced with the boss's stern questioning, he was as silent as a winter cicada, unable to utter a single word.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 噤若寒蝉
- Pinyin: jìn ruò hán chán
- Literal Translation: keep silent, like, cold, cicada
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4