摸著石頭過河——走一步算一步

Chinese

		feel with the hand; to touch; to stroke feel with the hand; to touch; to stroke; to grope; to feel (one's pulse); imitate; copy	particle indicating the successful result of a verb; to touch; to come in contact with particle indicating the successful result of a verb; to touch; to come in contact with; to feel; to be affected by; to catch fire; to fall asleep; to burn; particle attached after verb to indicate action in progress, like ‑ing ending; to make known; to show; to prove; to write; book; outstanding; to wear (clothes); to contact; to use; to apply; catch; receive; suffer	stone; rock	to cross; to go over; (experienced action marker) to cross; to go over; (experienced action marker); to pass; to celebrate; to live; to get along; excessively; too-	river		to walk; to go; to move to walk; to go; to move; to leave	one step; a single step	regard as; to figure; to calculate regard as; to figure; to calculate; to compute	one step; a single step
trad. (摸著石頭過河——走一步算一步)		摸	著	石頭	過	河	——	走	一步	算	一步
simp. (摸着石头过河——走一步算一步)		摸	着	石头	过	河	——	走	一步	算	一步
Literally: “To feel the rocks (on the riverbed) as one crosses the river ― taking one step at a time.”

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): mō zhe shítou guò hé, zǒu yībù suàn yībù

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄛ ˙ㄓㄜ ㄕˊ ˙ㄊㄡ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄏㄜˊ , ㄗㄡˇ ㄧ ㄅㄨˋ ㄙㄨㄢˋ ㄧ ㄅㄨˋ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: mō zhe shítou guò hé, zǒu yībù suàn yībù [Phonetic: mō zhe shítou guò hé, zǒu yíbù suàn yíbù]
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄛ ˙ㄓㄜ ㄕˊ ˙ㄊㄡ ㄍㄨㄛˋ ㄏㄜˊ , ㄗㄡˇ ㄧ ㄅㄨˋ ㄙㄨㄢˋ ㄧ ㄅㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: mo jhe̊ shíhto̊u guò hé, zǒu yibù suàn yibù
    • Wade–Giles: mo¹ chê⁵ shih²-tʻou⁵ kuo⁴ ho², tsou³ i¹-pu⁴ suan⁴ i¹-pu⁴
    • Yale: mwō je shŕ-tou gwò hé-, dzǒu yī-bù swàn yī-bù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mho .je shyr.tou guoh her, tzoou ii suann ii
    • Palladius: мо чжэ шитоу го хэ, цзоу ибу суань ибу (mo čžɛ šitou go xɛ, czou ibu suanʹ ibu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mu̯ɔ⁵⁵ ɖ͡ʐ̥ə² ʂʐ̩³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³ ku̯ɔ⁵¹ xɤ³⁵ t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻⁵³ su̯än⁵¹ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ pu⁵¹/

Idiom

摸著石頭過河——走一步算一步

1. (xiehouyu) to figure things out as one goes; to take things one step at a time

Further reading

• Wikiquote