犹豫不决

• Pinyin: yóu yù bù jué
• Hanzi breakdown: 犹 = hesitant ape; 豫 = hesitant elephant; 不 = not; 决 = 氵+ 夬 (water breaking through — decisive resolution)

Meaning

Indecisive; irresolute; unable to make up one's mind. To hesitate and waver without reaching a firm decision.

A four-character idiom (成语). 犹豫 (to hesitate) + 不决 (undecided/unresolved). Describes a persistent failure to commit to a course of action despite having sufficient information. Contrasts with 当机立断 (to decide promptly and resolutely). Often used critically to highlight a failure of leadership or personal will. Can describe individuals, committees, or governments.

Examples

1. 领导人在金融危机中犹豫不决，错过了干预时机，小危机最终拖成系统性崩溃。 The leader hesitated during the financial crisis and missed the chance to intervene, so a small crisis eventually turned into a systemic collapse.
2. 对方在核心条款上一直犹豫不决，后来我们才知道，他们内部对是否放弃合作有严重分歧。 The other side kept hesitating over the key terms, and we later learned that they had serious internal disagreement about whether to abandon the partnership.
3. 犹豫不决往往不是意志力不足，而是价值冲突：两种同样重要却不同的选择，让人难以下决心。 Indecision is often not a lack of willpower, but a clash of values: two choices that are equally important yet different make it hard to decide.

Usage Guide

Context: leadership, psychology, decision-making, criticism

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 在突发军事冲突中，最高指挥层的犹豫不决往往比装备劣势更致命，因为战机一旦错过，代价会迅速放大。(In sudden military conflicts, irresolution at the top command level is often more deadly than equipment inferiority, because once an opportunity is missed, the cost quickly grows.)
• 这家企业因管理层长期犹豫不决，错过了并购和布局机会，等到董事会介入转型时，市场空间已明显收窄。(This company missed acquisition and strategic positioning opportunities because management was indecisive for a long time, and by the time the board stepped in to transform it, the market space had already narrowed.)

Don't Say

• 他犹豫不决地选了汉堡 — 犹豫不决 implies significant and consequential indecision; using it for minor food choices is comic overstatement; 他选汉堡时很纠结 is more natural for minor everyday decisions

Origin & History

犹豫 (hesitate — both 犹 and 豫 are types of animals (ape/elephant) known for excessive caution and hesitation before moving) + 不 (not) + 决 (decide/resolve — 氵water + 夬 cleave; water breaking through a barrier, a decisive act)

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal