📖 Meaning
The mother of Mencius relocated her home three times to find a good environment for raising and educating her son. It highlights the importance of a proper environment in shaping a child's character and development. The idiom praises parental dedication to a child's education.
📜 Origin Story
This idium originates from the Han Dynasty scholar Zhao Qi's preface to Mencius (《孟子题辞》), which records that Mencius (Meng Ke), one of the greatest Confucian philosophers, lost his father young and was raised by his widowed mother. She moved their home three times — first from near a graveyard, then from near a marketplace, and finally next to a school — so that young Mencius would be surrounded by positive influences. The story became a classic illustration of how environment shapes character and a model of devoted maternal parenting in Chinese culture.
💡 Example Usage
为了孩子的成长，他效仿孟母三迁，把家搬到了学校附近。
For his child's development, he followed Mencius's mother's example and moved his home near a school.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 孟母三迁
- Pinyin: mèng mǔ sān qiān
- Literal Translation: Mencius mother, three, move
- Category: Learning
- Characters: 4