螳臂當車

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Chinese

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praying mantis arm
to act as; represent; equal
to act as; represent; equal; should; fitting; suitable; adequate; proper; replace; to be; to hold a position; manage; withstand; when; during; ought; match equally; same; obstruct; just at (a time or place); on the spot; right; just at
 
vehicle on land; car; machine
vehicle on land; car; machine; to shape with a lathe
 
trad. (螳臂當車)
simp. (螳臂当车)
alternative forms 螳臂擋車螳臂挡车
Literally: “a mantis blocking a vehicle with its arms”.

Etymology

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From Zhuangzi:

不知車轍不知勝任 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
不知车辙不知胜任 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Rǔ bùzhī fú tángláng hū? Nù qí dāng chēzhé, bùzhī qí bù shēngrèn yě, shì qí cái zhī měi zhě yě. [Pinyin]
Do you not know the praying mantis? It angrily stretches out its arms, to block the car tracks, unconscious of its inability for such a task, but showing how much it thinks of its own powers.

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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螳臂當車

  1. (figurative) to overrate oneself and attempt something impossible

Synonyms

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Descendants

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  • Japanese: 蟷螂の斧

See also

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