諺語 · a single proverb
熱鍋上的螞蟻
Simplified: 热锅上的蚂蚁
What does 熱鍋上的螞蟻 (rè guō shàng de mǎ yǐ) mean?
熱鍋上的螞蟻 (rè guō shàng de mǎ yǐ) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "ants on a hot pot." In use it means: Being in a state of frantic anxiety with no clear way out. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "ants on a hot pot."
The reading
The ants run in every direction. Not because any direction is right, but because staying still is unbearable. Panic has this quality: it produces maximum motion with minimum progress. When the pot is hot, the first useful act is to step off it, not to run faster on it.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common Chinese colloquial expression, widespread in vernacular fiction
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 熱鍋上的螞蟻 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 熱鍋上的螞蟻 (rè guō shàng de mǎ yǐ) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from Common Chinese colloquial expression, widespread in vernacular fiction. 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 熱鍋上的螞蟻?
In Mandarin it is rè guō shàng de mǎ yǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 熱鍋上的螞蟻 aloud in Mandarin.