📖 Meaning
A metaphor for having something ready-made or readily available yet failing to make use of it. It describes the foolishness of ignoring a convenient resource or opportunity that is right in front of you.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom lacks a specific literary origin and derives from folk proverbial speech. Its literal imagery is straightforward: there is a bell right in front of you, yet you do not strike it. In traditional Chinese society, striking a bell was a common, everyday action, so failing to strike a bell that is already present vividly illustrates the absurdity of neglecting an available resource. Over time it became a concise metaphor for overlooking or wasting readily accessible advantages.
💡 Example Usage
这么好的机会摆在眼前，你真是现钟不打，太可惜了。
With such a great opportunity right in front of you, it's a pity you let it slip by unused.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 现钟不打
- Pinyin: xiàn zhōng bù dǎ
- Literal Translation: existing bell, not strike
- Category: Wisdom
- Characters: 4