📖 Meaning
To stand on tiptoe and stretch one's neck forward. It describes an eager, anxious longing or anticipation for something. The image evokes someone straining to see or welcome what they have been desperately waiting for.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from a proclamation titled 'A Denunciation Address to the Generals and Officers of Wu' written by Chen Lin during the Three Kingdoms period (Cao Wei). Chen Lin was a renowned writer and strategist who served under Yuan Shao and later Cao Cao. In the text, he declared that all men of merit who wished to establish their worth were eagerly standing on tiptoe and craning their necks, hoping to respond to the call from within the Wei camp. The vivid imagery of physical straining conveyed the intensity of people's anticipation.
💡 Example Usage
消息传出后，百姓翘足引领，期待和平早日到来。
Once the news spread, the common people stood on tiptoe and craned their necks, eagerly awaiting the early arrival of peace.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 翘足引领
- Pinyin: qiáo zú yǐn lǐng
- Literal Translation: raise on tiptoe, stretch the neck
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4