Chinese Idiom: 呆若木鸡 (Dai Ruo Mu Ji)
English Translation: Stunned Like a Wooden Chicken
pīn yīn: dāi ruò mù jī
Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes someone who is so shocked, frightened, or amazed that they become motionless, as if they were a wooden statue. “呆” (dāi) means foolish or stunned, and “木鸡” (mù jī) refers to a wooden chicken.
Historical Source: Zhuangzi: Reaching the Way of Life (《庄子·达生》).
Idiom Story:
In the Spring and Autumn period, a form of entertainment known as “cockfighting” was popular among the nobility. The story goes that there was a man named Ji Shengzi, a renowned expert in training fighting cocks. The King of Qi specially hired him to train and care for his roosters.
The King was eager for his rooster to win in competitions, so after just ten days of training, he sent someone to ask Ji Shengzi if the rooster was ready for battle. Ji Shengzi replied, “Not yet. When the rooster sees its opponent, it gets excited and shows off its arrogance, but it actually lacks real skill.”
Another ten days passed, and the King, still impatient, sent someone to ask again, “Surely it’s ready now?” Ji Shengzi still said, “Not yet. The rooster is still too energetic when it sees its opponent; it hasn’t yet rid itself of all its aggressive impulses.”
After another ten days, the King asked once more. This time, Ji Shengzi said, “It is almost ready. The rooster may crow, but it no longer changes its expression. When you look at it, it seems like a wooden chicken. Its training is complete. Other roosters dare not approach it, and they will turn and flee when they see it.”
Indeed, when this rooster was used in cockfighting, it almost always won.
This story gave rise to the idiom “呆若木鸡” (dāi ruò mù jī), describing someone who is so shocked or frightened that they remain motionless, much like the perfectly trained fighting cock that appeared as still and unresponsive as a wooden chicken.
