thị tắc hành, phi tắc chỉ
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Right, then act; wrong, then stop — decision is the hinge; hesitation does neither.
Literally: correct: proceed; incorrect: halt
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “thị tắc hành, phi tắc chỉ” mean?
Right, then act; wrong, then stop — decision is the hinge; hesitation does neither. Literally: correct: proceed; incorrect: halt
Is “thị tắc hành, phi tắc chỉ” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.