DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

朝三暮四

Mandarin · pinyin zhāo sān mù sì

lit. say three in the morning but four in the evening (idiom); to change sth that is already settled upon
indecisive
to blow hot and cold

Characters in this entry

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

1–1–4–4 · zhao1 san1 mu4 si4

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

4character links

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

ziu1 saam1 mou6 sei3

Cantonese word readings for 朝三暮四. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

ziu1 saam1 mou6 sei3

Pleco · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Word reading; meanings not aligned.

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

(original meaning, obsolete) to deceive using tricks; to take in someone
(now more commonly, derogatory) to change one's mind frequently; to blow hot and cold; to be fickle or capricious