📖 Meaning
This idiom means that the outcome of a situation is so obvious that there is no need to consult yarrow stalks and tortoise shells for divination. It describes circumstances where good or bad fortune is already self-evident. The phrase emphasizes that the course of events is clear beyond doubt.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom derives from the Book of Changes (周易·系辞上), a foundational text of the Zhou dynasty. The original passage states that among all methods to determine the fortune of the world, none is greater than yarrow stalks and tortoise shells, which ancient Chinese used for divination. Over time, the phrase '无待蓍龟' evolved to express that when a situation's outcome is glaringly apparent, divination becomes unnecessary. It reflects the classical Chinese respect for divination while acknowledging that some truths need no supernatural confirmation.
💡 Example Usage
两国实力悬殊，胜负无待蓍龟。
With such a vast disparity in strength between the two nations, the outcome of victory or defeat is obvious without any need for divination.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 无待蓍龟
- Pinyin: wú dài shī guī
- Literal Translation: 无(no need),待(wait for),蓍(yarrow stalks),龟(tortoise shell)
- Category: Clarity
- Characters: 4