胸有成竹

• Pinyin: xiōng yǒu chéng zhú
• Hanzi breakdown: 胸 = 月 + 匈 (chest/mind); 有 = 月 (have); 成 = 乃 + 戊 (complete/formed); 竹 = bamboo radical (bamboo)

Meaning

To have a well-thought-out plan already in mind; to be fully prepared and confident before taking action.

An idiom from the Song dynasty artist Wen Tong, who visualised a complete bamboo before painting it. Now used broadly for any situation where someone is calm and confident due to thorough preparation.

Examples

1. 谈判前她已将所有资料研究得透彻，走进会议室时胸有成竹，从容不迫。 Before the negotiations, she had studied all the materials thoroughly; when she walked into the meeting room, she was calm and fully confident.
2. 这位老将胸有成竹，面对对手的突然变阵，他迅速做出针对性的调整。 The veteran was fully confident; when the opponent suddenly changed formations, he quickly made targeted adjustments.
3. 他向同事解释方案时，语气平稳、条理清晰，显然是胸有成竹，早有准备。 As he explained the plan to his colleagues, his tone was steady and his logic clear—obviously he was well prepared and confident.

Usage Guide

Context: preparation, confidence, leadership, exams

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 他对这次演讲的内容和流程早已烂熟于心，上台时胸有成竹，表现出色。(He had already thoroughly mastered the content and flow of his speech; he took the stage with complete confidence and performed brilliantly.)
• 凡事预则立，领导者若能做到胸有成竹，决策时便不易慌乱失措。(Preparation leads to success; a leader who enters every situation with a well-formed plan is far less likely to make hasty decisions under pressure.)

Don't Say

• 对未知的事胸有成竹 — this idiom implies prior preparation and certainty; for genuine unknowns use 随机应变 or 临场发挥; claiming 胸有成竹 about something unprepared is contradictory

Origin & History

胸 (chest/mind) + 有 (have) + 成 (complete/formed) + 竹 (bamboo) — having a fully-formed bamboo image in the mind before painting; from Song dynasty painter Wen Tong

Cultural Context

Era: Song Dynasty to Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal