Chinese Idiom: 尺短寸长 (Chi Duan Cun Chang)
English Translation: Shortness of Foot and Length of Inch
pīn yīn: chǐ duǎn cùn zhǎng
Idiom Meaning: Every aspect of a situation or individual has its strengths and weaknesses. The idiom implies that everything has its advantages and disadvantages, and nothing is perfect in all respects.
Historical Source: Chuci – Bujü (《楚辞·卜居》)
Idiom Story
The idiom “尺短寸长” is derived from a story about the famous poet Qu Yuan, who was exiled and troubled by his inability to return to his homeland and help his people. During his exile, he sought guidance from an oracle to understand the complexities of his situation and the state of the world.
Qu Yuan asked the oracle many profound questions about life, loyalty, and the state of the nation. He wondered why people of talent were often not appreciated, why the righteous were marginalized while the deceitful flourished, and expressed his frustration about the world’s corruption and his own powerlessness.
The oracle, unable to provide specific answers to these existential questions, responded with a reflection on the nature of things: “尺有所短，寸有所长，” meaning that while a foot may be long compared to an inch, there are contexts where even a foot is not long enough, and an inch can be adequate. Similarly, every situation, object, or individual has its strengths and weaknesses, and this variability must be understood in context.
This saying was later abbreviated to “尺短寸长” to convey the idea that everything has both its merits and shortcomings, reminding us to appreciate the relative strengths and limitations in different contexts.
