韬光养晦 to keep a low profile; to conceal one's abilities
Explanation
指隐藏才能，不使外露。比喻隐藏实力，等待时机。
To conceal one's abilities and not to show them. A metaphor for concealing strength and waiting for the right time.
Origin Story
话说魏国有一位名叫张良的谋士，他早年就对秦始皇不满，一心想要推翻暴秦，为天下苍生谋福利。但他知道自己力量单薄，难以匹敌秦国的强大势力，于是他决定韬光养晦，暗中积蓄力量。他潜心学习兵法谋略，广交天下豪杰，暗中联络各路义军。他平时不显山露水，默默无闻，但暗中却在筹划着推翻秦朝的大计。时机成熟之时，他联合刘邦等英雄豪杰，一起揭竿而起，最终推翻了秦朝的暴政，建立了汉朝。张良的故事便是韬光养晦的最好诠释。
Once upon a time, there was a strategist named Zhang Liang in ancient China. He was dissatisfied with the Qin Emperor from an early age and wanted to overthrow the tyrannical Qin dynasty to benefit the people. But he knew that he was weak and could not compete against the powerful Qin army, so he decided to keep a low profile and secretly accumulate strength. He studied military strategies diligently, made connections with heroes from all over the country and secretly contacted rebels. He lived an inconspicuous life, but secretly planned to overthrow the Qin dynasty. When the time was right, he allied with heroes such as Liu Bang and rebelled, which finally led to the overthrow of the Qin dynasty and the establishment of the Han dynasty. The story of Zhang Liang is the best interpretation of 'Tao Guang Yang Hui'.
Usage
多用于比喻政治策略或个人行为。
Often used to describe political strategies or individual behavior.
Examples
-
他为人处世非常低调，总是韬光养晦，不显山露水。
ta weiren chushi feichang diaodai, zong shi taoguangyanghui, bu xianshan lushui.
He is very low-key in his dealings with people, always keeping a low profile.
-
为了更好地完成任务，他决定韬光养晦，等待时机。
weile geng hao de wancheng renwu, ta jueding taoguangyanghui, dengdai shiji.
In order to better complete the task, he decided to keep a low profile and wait for the opportunity.