Chinese idiom · 成语
乌合之众
Meaning
A flock of crows; a disorganized mob.
Character by character
Origin and story
political expressionA passage attributed to Guanzi and preserved in the anthology Yilin uses this exact phrase for people brought together without durable cohesion. It warns that such a gathering may initially find an accommodation but later turn against itself; apparent cooperation does not amount to genuine loyalty. The surrounding discussion concerns a ruler whose control has passed to subordinates. Because the passage survives as an excerpt, it is more precise to identify its transmitted attribution than to invent a particular speech by Guan Zhong. The crow image later became a dismissive comparison for an improvised crowd lacking organization, discipline, or a common purpose.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
教练提醒我们，没有配合，再多高手也可能只是一群乌合之众。
The coach reminded us that without teamwork, even many skilled players can amount to a disorganized crowd.
A disparaging phrase; avoid using it as a neutral label for any large group.