Hover over the characters to see the pinyin!

English Translation

lit.: To keep watch by a tree stump, waiting for rabbits
fig.: Trusting luck, waiting for a windfall, to wait idly for opportunities.

Breaking it down

1. 守: guard, keep watch
2. 株: tree stump
3. 待: wait
4. 兔: rabbit

Source: Google Image Search

Story in Chinese

相传在战国时代宋国，有一个农民，日出而作，日入而息．遇到好年景，也不过刚刚吃饱穿暖；一遇灾荒，可就要忍饥挨饿了． 他想改善生活，但他太懒，胆子又特小，干什么都是又懒又怕，总想碰到送上门来的意外之财。奇迹终于发生了。深秋的一天，他正在田里耕地，周围有人在打猎。吆喝之声四处起伏，受惊的小野兽没命的奔跑。 突然，有一只兔子，不偏不倚，一头撞死在他田边的树根上。当天，他美美地饱餐了一顿。从此，他便不再种地。一天到晚，守着那神奇的树根，等着奇迹的出现。成语“守株待兔”，比喻亡想不劳而得，或死守狭隘的经验，不知变通。

Source: baike.baidu.com

Story in English

There once was a farmer in the Song Dynasty during the Warring States period. He worked when the sun rises and stopped when the sun set. In a good year, he will have just about enough food and clothing, but in a bad year, he will be hungry. He wants to improve his life, but is too lazy and not brave enough, always afraid to do anything, always hoping for a lucky windfall.
Then, a miracle finally happened. On a day in late August, he was plowing the fields, whilst others were around him, hunting.
Suddenly a rabbit came, and hit a tree stump next to the field, and died. That day, the farmer had a nice meal. Since then, he stopped farming. From morning to evening, he waited at that magical tree stump for another miracle to appear.
Thus the idiom "To keep watch by a tree stump, waiting for rabbits" is an expression for someone who relies on single experiences, waiting idly for opportunities to magically appear.

Translation by Celine Li

Usage

做有些事不能只知道守株待兔，要主动抓住时机！