奇货可居 qí huò kě jū A rare commodity that can be kept

Explanation

这个成语的意思是：把稀有的货物囤积起来，等到价格上涨时再卖出去。也比喻有某种专长或独占的东西作为资本，等待时机，以获得名利地位。

This idiom means: to hoard rare goods and wait until the price goes up before selling them. It is also a metaphor for using some expertise or exclusive possession as capital to wait for the right time to gain fame and fortune.

Origin Story

战国时期，秦国公子异人作为人质被留在赵国，生活拮据。当时，大商人吕不韦在赵国经商，他看到异人，觉得这是一个可以利用的“奇货”。吕不韦认为，如果能帮助异人回国继承王位，自己就能得到丰厚的回报。于是，他精心策划，先与华阳夫人交好，取得了她的信任，并设法让异人认华阳夫人为母亲。几年后，异人终于回到了秦国，并被立为太子，最终继承王位。吕不韦凭借着这次政治投资，也获得了巨大的利益，成为了秦国的丞相。

zhàn guó shí qī, qín guó gōng zǐ yì rén zuò wéi rén zhì bèi liú zài zhào guó, shēng huó jī jù. dāng shí, dà shāng rén lǚ bù wéi zài zhào guó jīng shāng, tā kàn dào yì rén, jué de zhè shì yī ge kě yǐ lì yòng de “qí huò”. lǚ bù wéi rèn wéi, rú guǒ néng bāng zhù yì rén huí guó jì chéng wáng wèi, zì jǐ jiù néng dé dào fēng hòu de huí bào. yú shì, tā jīng xīn cè huà, xiān yǔ huá yáng fū rén jiāo hǎo, qǔ dé le tā de xìn rèn, bìng shè fǎ ràng yì rén rèn huá yáng fū rén wéi mǔ qīn. jǐ nián hòu, yì rén zhōng yú huí dào le qín guó, bìng bèi lì wéi tài zǐ, zhōng jiù jì chéng wáng wèi. lǚ bù wéi píng jiē zhe cì zhèng zhì tóu zī, yě huò dé le jù dà de lì yì, chéng wéi le qín guó de chéng xiàng.

During the Warring States Period, Prince Yiren of Qin was held hostage in Zhao and lived a meager life. At that time, the great merchant Lü Buwei was doing business in Zhao. He saw Yiren and thought he was a "rare commodity" that could be used. Lü Buwei believed that if he could help Yiren return to Qin and inherit the throne, he would receive a rich reward. So he carefully planned, first making friends with Lady Huayang to gain her trust, and he also arranged for Yiren to acknowledge Lady Huayang as his mother. After several years, Yiren finally returned to Qin and was made Crown Prince, eventually inheriting the throne. Lü Buwei gained great benefits from this political investment and became the Prime Minister of Qin.

Usage

这个成语常用来形容那些把稀有的东西囤积起来等待高价出售的人，或者那些有某种专长或独占的东西作为资本，等待时机以捞取名利地位的人。

zhè ge chéng yǔ cháng yòng lái xíng róng nà xiē bǎ xī yǒu de dōng xi tún jī qǐ lái děng dài gāo jià chū shòu de rén, huò zhě nà xiē yǒu mǒu zhǒng zhuān cháng huò dú zhàn de dōng xi zuò wéi zī běn, děng dài shí jī yǐ lái qǔ míng lì dì wèi de rén.

This idiom is often used to describe people who hoard rare things and wait until the price goes up before selling them, or people who use some expertise or exclusive possession as capital to wait for the right time to gain fame and fortune.

Examples

• 这个项目很有潜力，我们要抓住机会，奇货可居。

  zhè ge xiàng mù hěn yǒu qián lì, wǒ men yào zhuā zhù jī huì, qí huò kě jū.

  This project has great potential, we must seize the opportunity and make it our advantage.

• 他凭借着多年的经验和人脉，在商界奇货可居。

  tā píng jiē zhe duō nián de jīng yàn hé rén mài, zài shāng jiè qí huò kě jū.

  With his years of experience and connections, he is a force to be reckoned with in the business world.

• 有些投资者喜欢奇货可居，等到市场行情上涨才出手。

  yǒu xiē tóu zī zhě xǐ huan qí huò kě jū, děng dào shì chǎng xíng qíng shàng zhǎng cái chū shǒu.

  Some investors prefer to wait and see until the market rises before investing.

Related Idioms

• 囤积居奇

• 坐地起价

• 惜售

Opposite Idioms

• 宝货难售

• 供过于求