📖 Meaning
To deliberately create obstacles and make excuses to delay or refuse something. It describes someone who persistently finds pretexts to avoid doing what is asked of them, often with the intent of making things difficult for others.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from Act 4 of Gao Ming's play 'The Lute' (琵琶记), written during the Yuan Dynasty. In the scene, a father angrily scolds his son for making all kinds of excuses to avoid going to the imperial examination. The father had sent his son to take the exam to bring honor and raise the family's status, but the son kept deflecting with 'seven pushes and eight blocks' — that is, countless evasions and pretexts. The phrase captures the exasperation of dealing with someone who will not cooperate no matter what.
💡 Example Usage
他七推八阻就是不肯签字。
He kept making all kinds of excuses and simply refused to sign.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 七推八阻
- Pinyin: qī tuī bā zǔ
- Literal Translation: seven, push, eight, block
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4