📖 Meaning
This idiom means drifting along with the crowd without independent judgment or firm principles. It describes someone who lacks the ability to distinguish right from wrong and merely follows others. It is equivalent to the more common idiom 随波逐流, using the metaphor of floating on waves and drifting with worldly dust.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Ming dynasty play 'The Jade Hairpin' (玉簪记) by Gao Ming, specifically from the scene 'False Accusation' (诳告). The original line describes a person who is pure and noble like ice and jade, questioning how such a person could possibly drift along with the worldly dust. The imagery of following waves and pursuing dust conveys lacking one's own stance and merely going along with whatever is popular.
💡 Example Usage
做人要有主见，不能随波逐尘。
One should have convictions and not simply drift along with the crowd.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 随波逐尘
- Pinyin: suí bō zhú chén
- Literal Translation: follow, waves, pursue, dust
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4