# 知难而退

zhī nán ér tuì

Step back after recognizing the difficulty

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Know the difficulty and withdraw

**Traditional Chinese:** 知難而退

**Register:** General · spoken & written

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

## When to use it

Describe withdrawing when a task or situation proves too difficult.

It can be prudent or overly hesitant depending on the circumstances.

## The image & its use

Trying a task can reveal demands that were not apparent at first. A person may decide to step back after recognizing those limits. This expression describes that decision. The context determines whether it is sensible reassessment or unnecessary discouragement. A project beyond the available time may call for a smaller scope, while an unfamiliar skill may simply need guidance and practice. Explain the particular difficulty and the available alternatives before judging whether withdrawal was the best response.

## Examples

发现材料不够，我们知难而退，先做较小的模型。

### Traditional Chinese

發現材料不夠，我們知難而退，先做較小的模型。

fā xiàn cái liào bú gòu ， wǒ men zhī nán ér tuì ， xiān zuò jiào xiǎo de mó xíng 。

Finding we lacked materials, we stepped back and made a smaller model first.

遇到新题目，不要马上知难而退。

### Traditional Chinese

遇到新題目，不要馬上知難而退。

yù dào xīn tí mù ， bú yào mǎ shàng zhī nán ér tuì 。

Do not immediately give up on encountering a new kind of problem.

她评估了时间，决定知难而退，另选题目。

### Traditional Chinese

她評估了時間，決定知難而退，另選題目。

tā píng gū le shí jiān ， jué dìng zhī nán ér tuì ， lìng xuǎn tí mù 。

After assessing the time, she chose to step back and select another topic.

知难而退有时是调整计划，不一定是放弃目标。

### Traditional Chinese

知難而退有時是調整計劃，不一定是放棄目標。

zhī nán ér tuì yǒu shí shì tiáo zhěng jì huà ， bù yí dìng shì fàng qì mù biāo 。

Stepping back can mean adjusting a plan rather than abandoning the goal.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1191&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%9F%A5%E9%9B%A3%E8%80%8C%E9%80%80)

## Keep exploring

- [置之度外 zhì zhī dù wài Set something aside from consideration ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zhi-zhi-du-wai)

- [终南捷径 zhōng nán jié jìng A calculated shortcut to status or advancement ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zhong-nan-jie-jing)

- [自投罗网 zì tóu luó wǎng Walk into a trap oneself ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zi-tou-luo-wang)

- [自作自受 zì zuò zì shòu Suffer the consequences of one's own actions ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zi-zuo-zi-shou)

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