Definition
成竹在胸 is a chengyu (four‑character idiom) meaning you have a fully thought‑out plan and are therefore calm and confident. The literal image — a mature bamboo already inside your chest — isn't transparent in English, but the idiom is used for any situation where thorough preparation brings peace of mind. It's similar in feel to 'having all the cards in your hand' or 'knowing exactly what you're going to do.'
id.
to have a well‑thought‑out planto be fully prepared and therefore confident
Examples
- 成竹在胸，。Zhè cì tánpàn tā zǎoyǐ chéng zhú zài xiōng, suǒyǐ yìdiǎn yě bù jǐnzhāng.He already had a well-thought-out plan for this negotiation, so he wasn't nervous at all.
- ，成竹在胸，。Miàn duì kǎoshì, wǒ chéng zhú zài xiōng, yīnwèi fùxí le hǎo jǐ biàn.Facing the exam, I was fully prepared and confident because I had reviewed it several times.
- 成竹在胸，。Jiàoliàn chéng zhú zài xiōng, suǒyǐ zài bǐsài zhōng fēicháng chénzhuó.The coach had a well-thought-out plan, so he remained very calm during the competition.
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