zuòguānchéngbài

坐观成败

Word · VerbTraditional坐觀成敗

look on from the sidelines; adopt a wait-and-see attitude toward others' success or failure

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 3 examples
1.

verb

to sit back and watch others' success or failure without lifting a finger; to adopt a wait-and-see attitude

Often carries a negative connotation of indifference or lack of responsibility, though it can also describe a neutral stance of non-intervention.

Zài在
péng朋
you友
yù遇
dào到
kùn困
nan难
shí时
 ,
wǒ我
men们
bù不
néng能
zuò坐
guān观
chéng成
bài败
 ,
yīng应
gāi该
shēn伸
chū出
yuán援
shǒu手
 。

When friends encounter difficulties, we cannot just sit back and watch from the sidelines; we should lend a helping hand.

Miàn面
duì对
zhè这
chǎng场
shāng商
yè业
jìng竞
zhēng争
 ,
gè各
dà大
gōng公
sī司
dōu都
bù不
yuàn愿
zuò坐
guān观
chéng成
bài败
 ,
fēn纷
fēn纷
cǎi采
qǔ取
xíng行
dòng动
 。

Faced with this business competition, major companies are unwilling to remain on the sidelines and have taken action one after another.

Show 1 more example
Zuò作
wéi为
tuán团
duì队
de的
yī一
yuán员
 ,
zuò坐
guān观
chéng成
bài败
shì是
bù不
fù负
zé责
rèn任
de的
biǎo表
xiàn现
 。

As a member of the team, sitting back and watching others' success or failure is an irresponsible display.