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Stories/Chinese folklore/Three in the Morning, Four at Night
HSK 3 Chinese reading practice

朝三暮四

zhāo sān mù sì

Three in the Morning, Four at Night

A monkey keeper changes only the order of the same seven chestnuts—and suddenly his monkeys are delighted.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 3
READ3 min
HANZI120
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文化
CULTURE

What does 朝三暮四 mean in English?

朝三暮四 (zhāo sān mù sì) literally means “three in the morning, four in the evening.” The story comes from the Zhuangzi: the order changes, but the monkeys still receive seven nuts a day. The idiom originally described being misled by a change in presentation; in modern Chinese, it more often describes someone who is fickle or keeps changing their mind.

Key vocabulary7 words from this story
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Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01老人第一次说早上给猴子几个栗子？
02老人后来怎样改变了说法？
03不管怎么分，猴子一天一共吃几个栗子？
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 朝三暮四

What does 朝三暮四 mean in English?

朝三暮四 (zhāo sān mù sì) literally means “three in the morning and four in the evening.” It describes being fickle or changing one’s mind repeatedly; the original story also concerns being misled by a change in presentation.

When is 朝三暮四 used?

In modern Chinese, use 朝三暮四 most often for someone whose choices or loyalties keep changing. For example: She changes her career plan every week, so her family says she is 朝三暮四.

What is the pinyin for 朝三暮四?

The pinyin pronunciation for 朝三暮四 is “zhāo sān mù sì.”