朝三暮四

zhāo sān mù sì

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

Definitions

1. lit. say three in the morning but four in the evening (idiom); to change sth that is already settled upon
2. indecisive

Stop forgetting what you study.
Build recall daily.

Try HanyuGuide's Chinese review system with multiple choice, typed recall, tone-aware practice, and reviews scheduled before memory fades.

Start Free Trial · $49.99 / year

Continue with Email

Lifetime for $119.99 Try a practice session

Word relationships

Related words

1 item

朝令夕改

zhāo lìng xī gǎi

to make frequent or unpredictable changes in policy (idiom)

常指政策、规定多变

Synonyms

1 item

反复无常

fǎn fù wú cháng

unstable

形容变化不定

Usage notes

Collocations

常用于描述人的态度、决定、感情等，如“朝三暮四的爱情”。不能用于客观事物变化。

Common mistakes

注意“朝三暮四”与“朝秦暮楚”不同：“朝三暮四”强调反复无常，而“朝秦暮楚”强调立场不坚定、投机。

Example Sentences

1 shown

他对感情朝三暮四，不可靠。

He is fickle in relationships and unreliable.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 朝三暮四

three

four

imperial or royal court

morning

evening