# 守株待兔

shǒu zhū dài tù

Waiting for luck instead of taking action

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Guard a stump and wait for a rabbit

**Register:** Critical · conversational

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Use when someone expects an accidental success to happen again without effort.

It usually criticizes passivity, rather than patient planning.

## Behind the words

A fable in Han Feizi tells of a farmer who gets a rabbit when it hits a stump. He stops farming and waits for another. The story warns against relying on chance.

The important detail is the farmer abandoning a reliable activity because of an accidental reward. The expression targets a mistaken expectation that luck will repeat itself. Patiently waiting after careful preparation is different: the criticism applies when waiting replaces necessary action. It is especially useful when a previous success depended on circumstances that no longer exist.

## Examples

想找到好工作，不能只是守株待兔。

xiǎng zhǎo dào hǎo gōng zuò ， bù néng zhǐ shì shǒu zhū dài tù 。

To find a good job, you can’t just sit around waiting for luck.

上次的客户是偶然找来的，不能从此守株待兔。

### Traditional Chinese

上次的客戶是偶然找來的，不能從此守株待兔。

shàng cì de kè hù shì ǒu rán zhǎo lái de ， bù néng cóng cǐ shǒu zhū dài tù 。

The last client found us by chance; we cannot keep waiting for the same lucky break.

她每天主动联系招聘人员，不肯守株待兔。

### Traditional Chinese

她每天主動聯繫招聘人員，不肯守株待兔。

tā měi tiān zhǔ dòng lián xì zhāo pìn rén yuán ， bù kěn shǒu zhū dài tù 。

She contacts recruiters every day instead of waiting passively for an opportunity.

店里生意冷清，他却守株待兔，不愿改变经营方式。

### Traditional Chinese

店裡生意冷清，他卻守株待兔，不願改變經營方式。

diàn lǐ shēng yì lěng qīng ， tā què shǒu zhū dài tù ， bú yuàn gǎi biàn jīng yíng fāng shì 。

Business is slow, but he waits for luck and refuses to change how he runs the shop.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=39&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%AE%88%E6%A0%AA%E5%BE%85%E5%85%94)

## Keep exploring

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