Moral lessons within chengyu

Virtues Highlighted by Chengyu (Praise & Guidance)

• Diligence & Steadiness
  循序渐进 (xún xù jiàn jìn) — progress step by step → Plan, then proceed steadily.
  稳扎稳打 (wěn zhā wěn dǎ) — advance solidly → Win by consistency, not flash.
  持之以恒 (chí zhī yǐ héng) — persevere unremittingly → Keep going to cross the finish line.
• Foresight & Preparation
  未雨绸缪 (wèi yǔ chóu móu) — repair the roof before it rains → Prepare early to avoid loss.
  胸有成竹 (xiōng yǒu chéng zhú) — plan fully in mind → Think through, then act calmly.
• Learning & Reflection
  温故知新 (wēn gù zhī xīn) — review the old to know the new → Reflect to innovate.
  举一反三 (jǔ yī fǎn sān) — infer more from one → Generalize wisely from examples.
• Integrity & Humility
  言行一致 (yán xíng yī zhì) — words match deeds → Walk the talk.
  虚怀若谷 (xū huái ruò gǔ) — humble as a valley → Stay open and modest.
• Courage & Resolve
  破釜沉舟 (pò fǔ chén zhōu) — break kettles and sink boats → Commit fully when the time comes.
  背水一战 (bèi shuǐ yī zhàn) — fight with back to the river → Find strength in decisive moments.

Vices Warned Against (Cautionary Lessons)

• Overdoing & Excess
  画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) — add feet to a snake → Too much ruins enough.
• Complacency & Passivity
  守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) — wait by a stump for rabbits → Don’t rely on luck.
• Self-Deception & Panic
  掩耳盗铃 (yǎn ěr dào líng) — cover ears to steal a bell → Fooling yourself fools no one.
  杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng) — fear a bow’s shadow as a snake → Check facts before fearing.
• Arrogance & Borrowed Power
  狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) — bully by borrowed might → Authority ≠ righteousness.
  眼高手低 (yǎn gāo shǒu dī) — high aims, low skills → Match ambition with practice.
• Rigidity & Misfit Methods
  刻舟求剑 (kè zhōu qiú jiàn) — carve the boat to seek the sword → Adapt methods to change.

Paired Morals (Use as Story Axes)

• Preparation vs. Impulse: 未雨绸缪 ↔ 欲速则不达 (more haste, less speed).
• Humility vs. Pretension: 虚怀若谷 ↔ 叶公好龙 (claims love, fears the real thing).
• Steadiness vs. Showiness: 稳扎稳打 ↔ 画蛇添足。
• Adaptation vs. Stubbornness: 因地制宜 (adapt to local conditions) ↔ 刻舟求剑。

How to Extract the Moral Quickly (3-Step Lens)

1. Image：记住画面（蛇加足、舟刻记、背水阵）。
2. Cause→Effect：是谁、做了什么、结果如何。
3. Principle：把经验抽象成一句可复用的行为准则（如“先准备，后行动”）。

Moral Genres You Can Signal with One Chengyu

• Prudence：三思而行、未雨绸缪
• Resilience：卧薪尝胆、卷土重来
• Teamwork：同舟共济、各司其职
• Clarity/Truth：一清二楚、实事求是
• Ethics/Rectitude：名正言顺、恪尽职守

Plug-and-Play Sentences (Persuasive Tone)

• 方案上线前要未雨绸缪，否则容易画蛇添足。
• 面对变化，别刻舟求剑；因地制宜才高效。
• 成功并非偶然，循序渐进才能水到渠成。

Micro-Practice（Choose the Best Moral Tool）

1. 想一步登天，结果返工连连 → 欲速则不达
2. 立项前做好备选方案 → 未雨绸缪
3. 夸口靠关系吓唬人 → 狐假虎威
4. 反思旧案得到新思路 → 温故知新
5. 目标很高但缺训练 → 眼高手低

Common Pitfalls (Avoid Moral Misfires)

• 只看字面：成语讲的是原则，不是表面动作。
• 堆砌成语：一条核心道理即可；多了反弱化。
• 场合不匹配：批评用语（如 狐假虎威）在正式场合要委婉。

Takeaway: 把成语当作道德与行为的快捷键：用一条四字语点明“应做/不应做”，你的叙事与劝说都会更有力、更难忘。