📖 Meaning
Literally 'like treading on thin ice.' It describes someone acting with extreme caution and vigilance, fully aware that a single misstep could bring disaster. The idiom conveys a sense of wariness and carefulness in delicate or dangerous situations.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Shijing (Book of Odes), specifically the 'Minor Odes' section in the poem 'Xiao Min' (小旻), dated to the Western Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–771 BCE). The poem portrays a loyal minister's anxious devotion while serving his ruler, declaring: 'Trembling with fear, as if approaching a deep abyss, as if treading on thin ice.' These lines became one of the most quoted expressions of prudent vigilance in classical Chinese literature, later adopted by scholars and officials throughout history to describe the mindset required when navigating political or personal peril.
💡 Example Usage
他在公司里如履薄冰，生怕一句话说错就会被辞退。
He felt like he was walking on thin ice at the company, terrified that one wrong word would get him fired.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 如履薄冰
- Pinyin: rú lǚ bó bīng
- Literal Translation: like, tread, thin, ice
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4