苟且偷生 gǒu qiě tōu shēng 苟且偷生

Explanation

苟且偷生，指得过且过，勉强活着。形容不求上进，只图安稳地过日子。

苟且偷生 means to live a meager life, to make do with what one has, and to lead a simple life. It describes someone who has no ambition and only seeks a secure life.

Origin Story

话说东汉末年，天下大乱，战火连绵。在一个偏僻的小村庄里，住着一位名叫张铁的年轻汉子。他本性善良，渴望安宁，却无奈生逢乱世。每日里，他只顾着耕田种地，为了一日三餐而奔波，对外面的战乱充耳不闻，过着平静却又胆小的生活。有一天，官兵来到村庄征兵，张铁吓得浑身颤抖，躲在家里不敢出门。邻居们纷纷响应号召，拿起武器保家卫国。而张铁却选择苟且偷生，他害怕牺牲，害怕战斗，只希望能够在乱世中苟活下去。他每天都提心吊胆，生怕战火烧到自己家，却从没想过为自己的国家、为自己的家园出一份力。日子一天天过去，战乱仍在继续，张铁的日子也一天天艰难。他看着昔日的朋友、邻居们在战场上英勇牺牲，心里既害怕，又有一丝丝的愧疚。然而，他依然不敢改变自己的生活方式，继续苟且偷生，直到乱世结束，他依然是一个胆小懦弱的人。

huà shuō dōng hàn mò nián,tiān xià dà luàn,zhàn huǒ lián mián.zài yīgè piān pì de xiǎo cūn zhuāng lǐ,zhù zhe yī wèi míng jiào zhāng tiě de nián qīng hàn zi.tā běn xìng shàn liáng,kě wàng ān níng,què wú nài shēng féng luàn shì.měi rì lǐ,tā zhǐ gù zhe gēng tián zhòng dì,wèi le yī rì sān cān ér bēn bō,duì wài miàn de zhàn luàn chōng ěr bù wén,guò zhe píng jìng què yòu dǎn xiǎo de shēng huó.yǒu yī tiān,guān bīng lái dào cūn zhuāng zhēng bīng,zhāng tiě xià de hún shēn chàn dǒu,duǒ zài jiā lǐ bù gǎn chū mén.lín jū men fēn fēn xiǎng yìng hào zhào,nǎ qǐ wǔ qì bǎo jiā wèi guó.ér zhāng tiě què xuǎn zé gǒu qiě tōu shēng,tā hàipà xī shēng,hàipà zhàn dòu,zhǐ xī wàng néng gòu zài luàn shì zhōng gǒu huó xià qù.tā měi tiān dōu tí xīn diào dǎn,shēng pà zhàn huǒ shāo dào zìjǐ jiā,què cóng méi xiǎng guò wèi zìjǐ de guó jiā,wèi zìjǐ de jiā yuán chū yī fèn lì.rì zi yī tiān tiān guò qù,zhàn luàn réng zài jì xù,zhāng tiě de rì zi yě yī tiān tiān jiān nán.tā kàn zhe xī rì de péng you,lín jū men zài zhàn chǎng shàng yīng yǒng xī shēng,xīn lǐ jì hàipà,yòu yǒu yī sī sī de kuì jiù.rán ér,tā yī rán bù gǎn gǎi biàn zìjǐ de shēng huó fāng shì,jì xù gǒu qiě tōu shēng,zhì dào luàn shì jié shù,tā yī rán shì yīgè dǎn xiǎo nuò ruò de rén.

During the late Han Dynasty, when the country was in chaos and wars were raging, a young man named Zhang Tie lived in a remote village. He was kind and loved peace but was unfortunately born into a time of war. Every day, he just farmed, working hard for daily meals and ignoring the war around him, living a peaceful but timid life. One day, soldiers came to the village to conscript soldiers, and Zhang Tie trembled with fear, hiding at home and not daring to go out. Neighbors responded to the call one after another, picking up weapons to defend their homes and country. However, Zhang Tie chose to survive in a mediocre way, fearing sacrifice and battle, only hoping to survive in the chaotic times. He was always worried that the war would burn his home, but he never thought about contributing to his country or his homeland. As days went by, the war continued, and Zhang Tie's life became more and more difficult. He watched his friends and neighbors die heroically on the battlefield, feeling fear and a little guilt. However, he still didn't dare to change his life, continuing his mediocre way of life until the end of the chaos, remaining a cowardly and weak person.

Usage

多用于形容人缺乏进取心，只顾眼前安稳，不求上进的生活状态。

duō yòng yú xíng róng rén quēfá jìn qǔ xīn,zhǐ gù yǎn qián ān wěn,bù qiú shàng jìn de shēng huó zhuàng tài

Used to describe people who lack ambition, who only care about their immediate safety and do not strive to improve themselves.

Examples

• 他苟且偷生，不愿为国家出力。

  tā gǒu qiě tōu shēng,bù yuàn wèi guójiā chūlì.

  He is content to live a meager life and will not contribute to the country.

• 为了生存，他只能苟且偷生。

  wèile shēngcún,tā zhǐ néng gǒu qiě tōu shēng

  For survival, he can only live in a simple way with the minimum requirements for living..

Related Idioms

• 苟延残喘

• 苟全性命

Opposite Idioms

• 奋发图强

• 视死如归

• 宁死不屈