停滞不前

tíng zhì bù qián

verb phrase★Intermediate💡 stagnate◆idiom

◆ What It Really Means

To fail to make progress or develop, often due to external or internal obstacles.

¶ Literal Meaning

To stop stagnating and not move forward.

Literal Breakdown

停滞to stagnate; to stop flowing+不前not to advance

◇ Mental Image

Imagine a river that has stopped flowing (停滞) and a person who refuses to take a step forward (不前). The combination evokes a sense of being stuck in place, unable to move or progress.

◈ When to Use

A team in a company has been working on a project for months, but due to lack of resources and unclear goals, no progress has been made. A colleague might say, '这个项目已经停滞不前几个月了。' (This project has stagnated for months.)

◉ Cultural Note

The idiom reflects a traditional Chinese emphasis on progress and continuous improvement, often tied to Confucian ideals of self-cultivation and societal advancement. Stagnation is seen as a negative state to be avoided.

formal

To fail to develop, progress, or advance; to remain in a state of stagnation.

由于缺乏创新，这家公司多年来停滞不前。

Due to a lack of innovation, this company has stagnated for years.

政策失误导致整个行业停滞不前。

Policy mistakes caused the entire industry to stagnate.

💡

Often used to describe economic, social, or personal development.

Collocations

经济停滞不前economic stagnation发展停滞不前development stagnates事业停滞不前career stagnation

Synonyms

停滞原地踏步裹足不前

Antonyms

突飞猛进蒸蒸日上一日千里

Related Phrases

裹足不前idiom

to hesitate to move forward due to fear or uncertainty

原地踏步idiom

to tread water; to make no progress despite effort

💡Pro Tip

Usage in Context

Use '停滞不前' to describe situations where progress has completely stopped, not just slowed down. For example, 'The project is delayed' could be '项目延期了', but 'The project has stagnated' would be '项目停滞不前'.

⚡Gold Rule

Avoid Literal Interpretation

Do not interpret '停滞不前' literally as 'to stop and not move forward'. Its figurative meaning is about lack of progress or development, not physical motion.

📖Word Origin

The idiom originates from the combination of '停滞' (tíng zhì, meaning 'to stagnate') and '不前' (bù qián, meaning 'not to move forward'). It first appeared in classical Chinese texts to describe a lack of progress or motion.

📝Usage Notes

This idiom is commonly used in both written and spoken Chinese to describe situations where progress has halted. It carries a neutral to slightly negative connotation.

Word Breakdown

停滞

to stagnate; to be at a standstill

verb

不前

not to move forward

verb phrase

汉英词典