守株待兔

shǒu zhū dài tù

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

Definitions

1 item

to reap where one has not sown (idiom)

Both imply passively waiting for benefits without effort.

Often used as a standalone idiom; 不能 is a common negation: 不能守株待兔 (cannot wait idly).

Not for patient waiting with a plan; it's only for negative, passive idleness.

1 shown

你不能守株待兔，要主动找工作。

You can't just wait idly for opportunities; you need to actively look for a job.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits, and climb a tree to catch fish (idiom); without any practical course of action

rabbit

to guard

to stay

to wait

tree trunk