# 黔驴技穷

qián lǘ jì qióng

Run out of one's limited tricks or abilities

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** The donkey in Qian exhausts its skills

**Traditional Chinese:** 黔驢技窮

**Register:** Critical · literary

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Criticize someone whose few tactics no longer work.

It is dismissive and stronger than simply needing help.

## Understanding the expression

The image is of an animal that initially seems impressive but has only a small repertoire. Once those moves are exposed, it has nothing effective left to offer. In current use, the expression often targets a competitor, deceiver, or stubborn opponent who keeps recycling failed tactics. The judgment concerns limited resources and exhausted methods, so it is harsher than saying that a capable person faces a difficult problem.

## Examples

骗子反复编同一个理由，已经黔驴技穷。

### Traditional Chinese

騙子反覆編同一個理由，已經黔驢技窮。

piàn zi fǎn fù biān tóng yí gè lǐ yóu ， yǐ jīng qián lǘ jì qióng 。

The scammer keeps repeating the same excuse and has run out of tricks.

对方只会压价，谈到服务就黔驴技穷了。

### Traditional Chinese

對方只會壓價，談到服務就黔驢技窮了。

duì fāng zhī huì yā jià ， tán dào fú wù jiù qián lǘ jì qióng liǎo 。

The other side only cuts prices and has nothing left when service is discussed.

那支球队战术被看穿后，显得黔驴技穷。

### Traditional Chinese

那支球隊戰術被看穿後，顯得黔驢技窮。

nà zhī qiú duì zhàn shù bèi kàn chuān hòu ， xiǎn de qián lǘ jì qióng 。

Once their tactics were exposed, the team seemed out of ideas.

他试图用旧谎掩盖新谎，终于黔驴技穷。

### Traditional Chinese

他試圖用舊謊掩蓋新謊，終於黔驢技窮。

tā shì tú yòng jiù huǎng yǎn gài xīn huǎng ， zhōng yú qián lǘ jì qióng 。

Trying to cover new lies with old ones, he finally exhausted his tricks.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E9%BB%94%E9%A9%A2%E6%8A%80%E7%AA%AE)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=356&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [轻举妄动 qīng jǔ wàng dòng Act rashly without sufficient thought ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/qing-ju-wang-dong)

- [穷途末路 qióng tú mò lù Reach a desperate dead end ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/qiong-tu-mo-lu)

- [曲突徙薪 qū tū xǐ xīn Take precautions before trouble arises ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/qu-tu-xi-xin)

- [燃眉之急 rán méi zhī jí A pressing emergency ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/ran-mei-zhi-ji)

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