待价而沽 wait for the right price
Explanation
比喻耐心等待时机，等到有利条件再行动。
It means patiently waiting for the right time, until favorable conditions arise, and then acting.
Origin Story
春秋时期，孔子周游列国，推行他的政治主张，却屡屡受挫，不被重用。一日，弟子子贡向孔子请教，说自己得到一块上好的玉，不知该如何处理。孔子说道：“卖掉它！我正在待价而沽呢！”子贡不解，孔子解释道：‘这块玉再好，也得遇到识货的人，才能发挥它的价值。我行走列国多年，也如同这块玉一样，等待着明君的赏识。’ 孔子虽然屡遭挫折，却始终保持着乐观的心态，坚信总有一天，他的才华会被世人认可，他的理想也能实现。他就像一块价值连城的璞玉，静静地等待着被伯乐发现，最终绽放出属于自己的光芒。
During the Spring and Autumn period, Confucius traveled among the various states, trying to promote his political ideas, but he repeatedly suffered setbacks and was not employed. One day, his disciple Zi Gong asked Confucius what to do with a piece of high-quality jade that he had obtained. Confucius said, "Sell it! I'm waiting for the right price!" Zi Gong didn't understand. Confucius explained that this jade was precious and would require an expert buyer to recognize its true value. His years of traveling were analogous to this jade, waiting for a wise ruler's recognition. Despite repeated setbacks, Confucius maintained optimism, believing that one day, his talent would be recognized and his ideals realized. He was like a priceless jade, silently waiting to be discovered by a discerning individual and ultimately unleash his own brilliance.
Usage
表示等待有利时机再行动。常用于比喻人等待时机。
It means waiting for a favorable opportunity before acting. It is often used to describe people who are waiting for the right moment.
Examples
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他决定待价而沽，寻找更好的机会。
ta jueding dai jia er gu, xun zhao geng hao de jihui.
He decided to wait for a better price before selling.
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这家公司正在待价而沽，等待合适的买家出现。
zhe jia gongsi zheng zai dai jia er gu, deng dai he shi de mai jia chu xian
The company is waiting for a suitable buyer to appear before selling.