Chinese idiom · 成语
如履薄冰
Meaning
Like treading on thin ice; extreme caution.
Character by character
Origin and story
Poetic imageThe phrase concludes Xiao Min (小旻), a poem in the Shijing’s Minor Court Hymns. Its speaker is distressed by the handling of affairs: good counsel is rejected while bad plans prevail. The closing images move from obvious dangers, such as confronting a tiger or crossing a river recklessly, to a trembling sense of vulnerability beside a deep abyss and on thin ice.
No named traveler falls through a frozen lake in this poem. Treading on ice is a comparison for a state of mind in which a mistaken step could be disastrous. The expression retains that combination of danger and heightened caution, whether describing political responsibilities, delicate relationships, or a difficult new task.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
第一次负责这么大的活动，我每天都如履薄冰，反复确认各项安排。
In charge of such a large event for the first time, I feel as if I'm walking on thin ice and keep checking every arrangement.
Describes intense caution or apprehension because the stakes feel high.