就汤下面 jiù tāng xià miàn Seize the opportunity

Explanation

比喻趁机行事，顺着形势做。

It means to take advantage of the opportunity, to act in accordance with the situation.

Origin Story

话说唐僧师徒四人西天取经，途径一个妖魔横行的山谷，眼看天色已晚，他们决定找个地方安营扎寨。正巧，他们发现山谷中有一座破旧的寺庙，虽然荒凉，但好歹能遮风挡雨。他们清理了寺庙，准备休息。这时，孙悟空发现寺庙角落里藏着一只千年蛇妖，它被困在此处多年，法力已衰。孙悟空二话不说，趁蛇妖无力反抗，将其制服，收为己用。唐僧不解，问孙悟空为何如此。孙悟空笑道：“师父，这叫‘就汤下面’。这蛇妖困在此处多年，法力已衰，正是我们收服它的好时机，何乐而不为呢？”

huàshuō tángsēng shītú sì rén xītiān qǔjīng, tújìng yīgè yāomó héngxíng de shāngǔ, yǎnkàn tiānsè yǐ wǎn, tāmen juédìng zhǎo gè dìfāng ānyíng zhāzhài. zhèng qiǎo, tāmen fāxiàn shāngǔ zhōng yǒu yī zuò pòjiù de sìmiào, suīrán huāngliáng, dàn hǎodǎi néng zhēfēngdàngyǔ. tāmen qīnglǐ le sìmiào, zhǔnbèi xiūxí. zhè shí, sūn wùkōng fāxiàn sìmiào jiǎoluò lǐ cángzhe yī zhī qiānián shéyào, tā bèi kùn zài cǐ chù duō nián, fǎlì yǐ shuāi. sūn wùkóng èrhua bù shuō, chèn shéyào wúlì fǎnkàng, jí qí zhìfú, shōu wéi jǐ yòng. tángsēng bù jiě, wèn sūn wùkōng wèihé rúcǐ. sūn wùkōng xiàodào: “shīfu, zhè jiào ‘jiù tāng xiàmiàn’. zhè shéyào kùn zài cǐ chù duō nián, fǎlì yǐ shuāi, zhèngshì wǒmen shōufú tā de hǎo shíjī, hé lè ér bù wéi ne?”

On their journey to the West, Sun Wukong and his companions found shelter in a dilapidated temple, where they discovered a weakened thousand-year-old snake demon. Sun Wukong seized the opportunity and subdued the demon. This was referred to as 'Jiu Tang Xia Mian', using a favorable situation to one's advantage. It was a fitting occasion to exploit the monster's weakness.

Usage

用于比喻趁机行事，顺势而为。

yòng yú bǐyù chènjī xíngshì, shùnshì ér wéi

Used to describe acting according to the situation, seizing an opportunity.

Examples

• 机会来了，咱们就汤下面，一起合作吧！

  jīhuì lái le, zánmen jiù tāng xiàmiàn, yīqǐ hézuò ba!

  The opportunity is here, let's seize the moment and cooperate!

• 他见时机成熟，便就汤下面，提出自己的建议。

  tā jiàn shíjī chéngshú, biàn jiù tāng xiàmiàn, tíchū zìjǐ de jiànyì

  Seeing that the time was ripe, he seized the moment and offered his suggestion.

Related Idioms

• 乘虚而入

• 顺水推舟

Opposite Idioms

• 错过机会

• 犹豫不决