📖 Meaning
Literally 'a pool of stagnant water.' It is a metaphor for a stagnant, lifeless situation where there is no progress, change, or vitality. The idiom often describes an organization, society, or atmosphere that has become dull and immobile.
📜 Origin Story
This is a modern Chinese idiom without a specific classical literary origin. It derives from the everyday image of a deep pool of still, unmoving water that has no source of fresh inflow and therefore remains lifeless. The metaphor was popularized in twentieth-century writing, notably appearing in works such as Pu Ren's 'Two Thousand Years.' Over time it became a common expression for describing any environment that lacks dynamism or innovation.
💡 Example Usage
这家公司管理僵化，整个氛围就像一潭死水。
The company's management is rigid, and the whole atmosphere is like a pool of stagnant water.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一潭死水
- Pinyin: yī tán sǐ shuǐ
- Literal Translation: one, pool, dead, water
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4