諺語 · a single proverb
金蟬脫殼
Simplified: 金蝉脱壳
What does 金蟬脫殼 (jīn chán tuō qiào) mean?
金蟬脫殼 (jīn chán tuō qiào) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "The golden cicada sheds its shell." In use it means: Escaping danger by leaving behind a decoy or shell of one's former self. A strategy of disappearing while leaving the appearance of still being present. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "The golden cicada sheds its shell.."
The reading
Sometimes the wisest move is to leave something behind that looks exactly like you while you slip away into a new form. This is not cowardice. It is understanding that survival sometimes requires letting go of the shape others expect you to hold. The cicada does not mourn its old shell. It flies.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Thirty-Six Stratagems (三十六计), stratagem #21
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 金蟬脫殼 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 金蟬脫殼 (jīn chán tuō qiào) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Thirty-Six Stratagems (三十六计), stratagem #21. 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 金蟬脫殼?
In Mandarin it is jīn chán tuō qiào. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 金蟬脫殼 aloud in Mandarin.