胸有成竹

xiōng yǒu chéng zhúidiom
be fully prepared

面对挑战,他胸有成竹,信心满满。

Facing the challenge, he was fully prepared and full of confidence.


What It Really Means
To be fully prepared and confident in one's ability to complete a task or challenge.
Literal Meaning
To have a bamboo in one's chest.
Literal Breakdown
chest+to have+complete+bamboo
Mental Image
The image of a bamboo plant growing in one's chest, symbolizing a clear and detailed plan that is already fully formed in one's mind.
When to Use
A student who has studied extensively for an exam and feels confident about their performance might say they have '胸有成竹' about the test.
Cultural Note
This idiom originates from a story about a painter named 文与可, who was so confident in his ability to paint bamboo that he could visualize the entire painting in his mind before even picking up his brush. The phrase '胸有成竹' literally means 'to have a bamboo in one's chest,' symbolizing a clear and detailed plan.
formalinformal

To have a clear plan or strategy in mind before starting something, often implying confidence and preparedness.

这次考试我胸有成竹,因为我已经复习了很久。

I'm fully prepared for this exam because I've been studying for a long time.

他胸有成竹地走进会议室,显然已经准备好了演讲。

He walked into the conference room with confidence, clearly having prepared his speech.

This idiom is often used to describe someone who is confident and well-prepared for a task or challenge.

Collocations

胸有成竹地with confidence and preparation

Related Phrases

成竹在胸idiom
to have a clear plan in mind
胸有成算idiom
to have a plan or strategy
心中有数idiom
to have a clear understanding of something

Pro Tip

Usage Tip

This idiom is often used to describe someone who is confident and well-prepared for a task or challenge. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Gold Rule

Golden Rule

Use this idiom to describe someone who is confident and well-prepared for a task or challenge.

Word Origin

The idiom originates from a story about a painter named 文与可, who was so confident in his ability to paint bamboo that he could visualize the entire painting in his mind before even picking up his brush. The phrase '胸有成竹' literally means 'to have a bamboo in one's chest,' symbolizing a clear and detailed plan.

Usage Notes

This idiom is often used to describe someone who is confident and well-prepared for a task or challenge. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Word Breakdown

chest
root
+
to have
root
+
complete
root
+
bamboo
root
汉英词典