尾大不掉 Too big to control
Explanation
比喻机构庞大,指挥不灵;也比喻部下的势力很大,无法指挥调度。
It is used to describe a large organization that is difficult to control; it is also used to describe the situation where subordinates are too powerful and cannot be controlled.
Origin Story
春秋时期,楚灵王宠信公子弃疾,将兵权交给他,导致公子弃疾势力越来越大。大臣申无宇多次劝谏,指出这将会造成尾大不掉的情况,但楚灵王不听。最终,公子弃疾发动政变,杀死了楚灵王,自己篡夺了王位。这个故事说明了权力过于分散,缺乏有效的控制和管理,将会导致不可控的后果。楚灵王的昏庸和对权力的失控,直接导致了国家的动荡和王权的丧失。而申无宇的远见卓识,则在历史的长河中留下了深刻的警示。他提醒我们,在任何组织或国家中,权力制衡和有效的管理都是至关重要的。一个强大的组织或国家,并非仅仅依靠强大的实力,更需要内在的稳定和有效的控制机制。过分依赖个人权力,而忽略制度建设和管理能力的培养,将会埋下巨大的隐患,最终导致不可挽回的损失。
During the Spring and Autumn Period, King Ling of Chu favored Prince Qi Ji and entrusted him with military power, leading to the latter's growing influence. Minister Shen Wu Yu repeatedly cautioned against the potential problems of unchecked power, but King Ling turned a deaf ear. Eventually, Prince Qi Ji staged a coup, assassinating King Ling and seizing the throne. This story highlights the dangers of excessive decentralization of power and lack of effective control and management. King Ling's incompetence and his failure to control his own power led directly to national instability and the loss of royal authority. Minister Shen Wu Yu's foresight serves as a cautionary tale throughout history, emphasizing that a balance of power and effective governance are vital in any organization or nation.
Usage
主要用于形容机构或组织规模过大,导致效率低下,难以管理的情况。
It is mainly used to describe the situation where an institution or organization has become too large, resulting in low efficiency and difficulty in management.
Examples
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这家公司规模庞大,部门林立,已经出现了尾大不掉的问题。
zhe jia gongsi guimo pangda, bumeng linli, yijing chuxianle wei da bu diao de wenti.
This company is huge, with many departments, and has already developed the problem of being too big to manage.
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这个项目团队成员众多,协调起来十分困难,真是尾大不掉啊!
zhege xiangmu tuanduichengyuan zhongduo, tiaoxie qilai shifen kunnan, zhen shi wei da bu diao a!
This project team has so many members that coordination is very difficult. It is just too large to control!