朝三暮四

• Pinyin: zhāo sān mù sì
• Hanzi breakdown: 朝 = morning; 三 = three; 暮 = evening; 四 = four — changing between morning and evening

Meaning

Fickle; capricious; constantly changing one's mind. Literally: three in the morning, four in the evening.

From a story about a monkey trainer who offered monkeys 3 chestnuts morning and 4 evening vs 4 morning and 3 evening. Now means being indecisive or unfaithful, especially in relationships. Strongly negative connotation.

Examples

1. 他朝三暮四，交往过的女朋友数都数不清。 He's so fickle that he's dated so many girlfriends he can't even count them.
2. 做事不能朝三暮四，要有始有终才能成功。 You can't be wishy-washy when you do things; only by seeing them through from start to finish can you succeed.
3. 投资者最忌朝三暮四，频繁更换投资策略。 Investors should avoid being fickle—constantly switching investment strategies.

Usage Guide

Context: criticism, relationships, decision-making

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 朝三暮四的人很难获得他人的信任和尊重。(People who are fickle find it hard to earn the trust and respect of others.)
• 选择职业不能朝三暮四，要根据自身特长做出稳定规划。(You can't be capricious when choosing a career; make stable plans based on your strengths.)

Don't Say

• 朝三暮四地学习 — for inconsistent studying use 三心二意; 朝三暮四 emphasizes changing loyalties

Origin & History

From 《庄子·齐物论》, a parable about a monkey trainer

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal