諺語 · a single proverb
朝秦暮楚
What does 朝秦暮楚 (zhāo qín mù chǔ) mean?
朝秦暮楚 (zhāo qín mù chǔ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "serving Qin in the morning and Chu in the evening." In use it means: Constantly switching allegiance to whichever side is winning; loyalty determined by convenience rather than conviction. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "serving Qin in the morning and Chu in the evening."
The reading
Morning: Qin. Evening: Chu. Tomorrow: whoever is winning. This person is never wrong about who is in charge, and never trusted by any of them, because everyone knows the loyalty comes with an expiration date printed on the back. Short-term safety, long-term isolation. Pick a side and stay there long enough to mean something.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary expression; rooted in Warring States political dynamics
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 朝秦暮楚 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 朝秦暮楚 (zhāo qín mù chǔ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common literary expression; rooted in Warring States political dynamics. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 朝秦暮楚?
In Mandarin it is zhāo qín mù chǔ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 朝秦暮楚 aloud in Mandarin.