諺語 · a single proverb
追根究底
What does 追根究底 (zhuī gēn jiū dǐ) mean?
追根究底 (zhuī gēn jiū dǐ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "pursuing to the root and investigating to the bottom." In use it means: Getting to the fundamental cause of something; not stopping at surface explanations but digging until you reach the origin. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "pursuing to the root and investigating to the bottom."
The reading
The symptom is interesting. The cause is useful. The difference between the two is the difference between treating the headache and finding the tumor. Most problems are solved at the wrong depth because solving them deeper is more expensive. But the expense of staying shallow compounds.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary expression; philosophical and investigative tradition
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 追根究底 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 追根究底 (zhuī gēn jiū dǐ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common literary expression; philosophical and investigative tradition. 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 追根究底?
In Mandarin it is zhuī gēn jiū dǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 追根究底 aloud in Mandarin.