朝三暮四 zhāo sān mù sì three in the morning, four at night

Explanation

原指玩弄手法欺骗人。后用来比喻常常变卦，反复无常。

Originally referred to deceiving people by playing tricks. Later it is used to describe frequent changes and fickleness.

Origin Story

从前，有个养猴的人，他养了很多猴子。为了节省粮食，他跟猴子们说："每天早上给你们三个栗子，晚上给你们四个栗子。"猴子们一听，都非常生气，纷纷抗议。养猴人一看计策失败了，就立即改口说道："那好，我每天早上给你们四个栗子，晚上给你们三个栗子吧！"猴子们一听，都高兴地跳了起来，以为自己占了便宜。其实，养猴人每天给猴子的栗子数量并没有减少，只是改变了说法而已。

cóng qián, yǒu gè yǎng hóu de rén, tā yǎng le hěn duō hóu zi. wèi le jié shěng liáng shí, tā gēn hóu zi men shuō: 'měi tiān zǎoshang gěi nǐ men sān gè lì zi, wǎnshang gěi nǐ men sì gè lì zi.' hóu zi men yī tīng, dōu fēicháng shēng qì, fēnfēn kàng yì. yǎng hóu rén yī kàn jìcè shībài le, jiù lìjí gǎikǒu shuōdào: 'nà hǎo, wǒ měi tiān zǎoshang gěi nǐ men sì gè lì zi, wǎnshang gěi nǐ men sān gè lì zi ba!' hóu zi men yī tīng, dōu gāoxìng de tiào qǐ lái le, yǐwéi zìjǐ zhàn le piányí. qíshí, yǎng hóu rén měi tiān gěi hóu zi de lì zi shùliàng bìng méiyǒu jiǎnshǎo, zhǐshì gǎibiàn le shuōfǎ ér yǐ.

Once upon a time, there was a man who kept many monkeys. To save food, he told the monkeys: "Every morning, you will get three chestnuts, and four in the evening." The monkeys were very angry. The man changed his words: "Okay, every morning four chestnuts, three in the evening." The monkeys were satisfied. In fact, the amount of food hadn't changed.

Usage

比喻人反复无常，说话不算数。

bǐ yù rén fǎnfù wú cháng, shuō huà bù suàn shù

It is used to describe people who are fickle and don't keep their promises.

Examples

• 他这个人朝三暮四，难以共事。

  tā zhège rén cháo sān mù sì, nán yǐ gòng shì

  He is fickle and unreliable.

• 政策朝三暮四，让企业无所适从。

  zhèngcè cháo sān mù sì, ràng qǐyè wú suǒ shì cóng

  The policy is inconsistent, which makes it difficult for businesses to adapt.

Related Idioms

• 反复无常

• 朝秦暮楚

• 见异思迁

Opposite Idioms

• 坚定不移

• 一贯坚持