呆若木雞

Chinese

	foolish; stupid; no expression foolish; stupid; no expression; stay	to seem; like; as to seem; like; as; if	tree; wood	fowl; chicken
trad. (呆若木雞/呆若木鷄)	呆	若	木	雞/鷄
simp. (呆若木鸡)	呆	若	木	鸡
Literally: “dumb as a wooden chicken”.

Etymology

From Zhuangzi, chapter 19 (《莊子·達生》):

紀渻子為王養鬬雞。
十日而問：「雞已乎？」曰：「未也，方虛憍而恃氣。」
十日又問，曰：「未也，猶應嚮景。」
十日又問，曰：「未也，猶疾視而盛氣。」
十日又問，曰：「幾矣，雞雖有鳴者，已无變矣，望之似木雞矣，其德全矣。異雞无敢應者，反走矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

纪渻子为王养鬬鸡。
十日而问：「鸡已乎？」曰：「未也，方虚㤭而恃气。」
十日又问，曰：「未也，犹应向景。」
十日又问，曰：「未也，犹疾视而盛气。」
十日又问，曰：「几矣，鸡虽有鸣者，已无变矣，望之似木鸡矣，其德全矣。异鸡无敢应者，反走矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE, translation from The Complete Works Of Chuang Tzu (2013), by Burton Watson

Jì Xǐng Zǐ wèi wáng yǎng dòujī.
Shí rì ér wèn: “Jī yǐ hū?” Yuē: “Wèi yě, fāng xūjiāo ér shì qì.”
Shí rì yòu wèn, yuē: “Wèi yě, yóu yìng xiǎng yǐng.”
Shí rì yòu wèn, yuē: “Wèi yě, yóu jí shì ér shèng qì.”
Shí rì yòu wèn, yuē: “Jī yǐ, jī suī yǒu míng zhě, yǐ wú biàn yǐ, wàng zhī sì mù jī yǐ, qí dé quán yǐ. Yì jī wú gǎn yìng zhě, fǎn zǒu yǐ.” [Pinyin]

Ji Xing Zi was training gamecocks for the king. After ten days the king asked if they were ready. "Not yet. They're too haughty and rely on their nerve."
Another ten days and the king asked again. "Not yet. They still respond to noises and movements."
Another ten days and the king asked again. "Not yet. They still look around fiercely and are full of spirit."
Another ten days and the king asked again. "They're close enough. Another cock can crow and they show no sign of change. Look at them from a distance and you'd think they were made of wood. Their virtue is complete. Other cocks won't dare face them, but will turn and run."

In the past, this term was describing the quality of being able to stay calm.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): dāiruòmùjī

(Zhuyin): ㄉㄞㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄇㄨˋ ㄐㄧ
Cantonese (Jyutping): ngoi⁴ joek⁶ muk⁶ gai¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: dāiruòmùjī
  - Zhuyin: ㄉㄞㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄇㄨˋ ㄐㄧ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: dairuòmùji
  - Wade–Giles: tai¹-jo⁴-mu⁴-chi¹
  - Yale: dāi-rwò-mù-jī
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: dairuohmuhji
  - Palladius: дайжомуцзи (dajžomuczi)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /taɪ̯⁵⁵ ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: ngoi⁴ joek⁶ muk⁶ gai¹
  - Yale: ngòih yeuhk muhk gāi
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ngoi⁴ joek⁹ muk⁹ gai¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: ngoi⁴ yêg⁶ mug⁶ gei¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋɔːi̯²¹ jœːk̚² mʊk̚² kɐi̯⁵⁵/

Idiom

呆若木雞

dumbstruck