dé cùn jìn chǐ: 得寸进尺 - Give an inch, take a mile; Insatiably Greedy

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• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese idiom 得寸进尺 (dé cùn jìn chǐ), the direct equivalent of “give them an inch, and they'll take a mile.” This page breaks down its literal meaning (“get an inch, advance a foot”), cultural significance, and practical usage. Discover how to use this Chengyu to describe someone who is insatiably greedy, pushy, and never satisfied with what they are given.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dé cùn jìn chǐ
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (成语) / Idiom (often functions as a verb or adjective)
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: After gaining an inch, one tries to advance a foot; to be insatiably greedy or demanding.
• In a Nutshell: This idiom paints a vivid picture of someone who, upon receiving a small concession, immediately demands a much larger one. It perfectly captures the feeling of dealing with a person who is ungrateful and constantly pushing boundaries. It's almost always used in a negative, critical way to describe someone's unacceptable greed or pushiness.

• 得 (dé): To get, to obtain, to receive.
• 寸 (cùn): A traditional Chinese “inch.” It represents a small amount or a small gain.
• 进 (jìn): To advance, to move forward, to press on.
• 尺 (chǐ): A traditional Chinese “foot” (equal to 10 寸). It represents a much larger amount or a bigger goal.

The characters literally combine to mean “get an inch, advance a foot.” This step-by-step progression from a small gain (寸) to a much larger demand (尺) makes the meaning of insatiable greed crystal clear.

The idiom 得寸进尺 is deeply rooted in Chinese cultural values that emphasize moderation, gratitude, and social harmony. To be accused of being `得寸进尺` is a serious social criticism. It implies that a person lacks self-awareness (没有自知之明), is ungrateful, and disrupts the unspoken balance of reciprocity in relationships. A common related value is 知足常乐 (zhī zú cháng lè), meaning “contentment brings constant happiness.” `得寸进尺` is the direct opposite of this virtue. It describes someone who can never be content and whose desires are a bottomless pit. Comparison to Western Culture: The English phrase “Give an inch, take a mile” is a near-perfect translation. However, the cultural weight can be slightly different. In some aggressive Western business contexts, pushing boundaries might occasionally be viewed as a sign of a “go-getter” (though it's still generally negative). In a Chinese context, being `得寸进尺` is almost universally condemned as a character flaw that harms relationships and shows a profound lack of respect for the other party's generosity.

This is a common idiom used in various situations to criticize greedy or overly demanding behavior.

• Connotation: Strongly negative. You would use it to complain about someone, not to praise them.
• Formality: Used in both spoken and written Chinese, from casual conversations among friends to more formal business discussions or commentaries.

Common Scenarios:

• In Personal Relationships: Complaining about a friend, family member, or partner who is never satisfied. “I agreed to help him move a sofa, but then he asked me to redecorate his whole apartment. He's so `得寸进尺`!”
• In Business Negotiations: Describing a client or partner who keeps adding new demands after an agreement has been reached. “We offered them a 10% discount, and now they are 得寸进尺, asking for free shipping and a two-year warranty.”
• In the Workplace: Talking about a colleague who takes credit for your work or constantly asks for “small favors” that become larger burdens.

• Example 1:
  • 我已经答应帮你辅导数学了，你不要得寸进尺，还让我帮你写作业。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǐjīng dāyìng bāng nǐ fǔdǎo shùxué le, nǐ búyào dé cùn jìn chǐ, hái ràng wǒ bāng nǐ xiě zuòyè.
  • English: I already agreed to help you with math tutoring, don't get an inch and want a foot by also asking me to do your homework for you.
  • Analysis: A clear warning used in a personal context. It establishes a boundary and directly calls out the other person's unreasonable request.
• Example 2:
  • 这家公司太得寸进尺了，我们每次让步，他们都会提出更过分的要求。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī tài dé cùn jìn chǐ le, wǒmen měi cì ràngbù, tāmen dōu huì tíchū gèng guòfèn de yāoqiú.
  • English: This company is so insatiable. Every time we make a concession, they come up with even more unreasonable demands.
  • Analysis: Used in a business context to describe the frustrating behavior of a negotiating partner. “过分 (guòfèn)” means “excessive” or “unreasonable” and often appears alongside this idiom.
• Example 3:
  • 对待这种得寸进尺的人，你一开始就不能太软弱。
  • Pinyin: Duìdài zhè zhǒng dé cùn jìn chǐ de rén, nǐ yī kāishǐ jiù bùnéng tài ruǎnruò.
  • English: When dealing with this kind of pushy/greedy person, you can't be too soft from the very beginning.
  • Analysis: This sentence gives advice on how to handle someone with this character trait. It uses `得寸进尺` adjectivally to modify “人 (rén)”.
• Example 4:
  • 孩子要了一个玩具，你给他买了，他马上又要第二个，真是得寸进尺。
  • Pinyin: Háizi yào le yí ge wánjù, nǐ gěi tā mǎi le, tā mǎshàng yòu yào dì'èr ge, zhēnshì dé cùn jìn chǐ.
  • English: The child asked for a toy, you bought it for him, and he immediately wanted a second one. That's really a case of giving an inch and taking a mile.
  • Analysis: A classic example of using the idiom to describe a child's demanding behavior.
• Example 5:
  • 我们必须对他们的侵略行为保持警惕，防止他们得寸进尺。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū duì tāmen de qīnlüè xíngwéi bǎochí jǐngtì, fángzhǐ tāmen dé cùn jìn chǐ.
  • English: We must remain vigilant against their aggressive actions to prevent them from pushing for more after each gain.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a more formal usage, often seen in political or international relations contexts.
• Example 6:
  • 他这个人，你帮他一次，他就会得寸进尺，以后什么事都来找你。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhège rén, nǐ bāng tā yí cì, tā jiù huì dé cùn jìn chǐ, yǐhòu shénme shì dōu lái zhǎo nǐ.
  • English: With a person like him, if you help him once, he'll get an inch and want a foot, and then he'll come to you for everything in the future.
  • Analysis: This is a common warning one friend might give another about a third person who is known to be an opportunist.
• Example 7:
  • 做人不能太得寸进尺，要学会感恩。
  • Pinyin: Zuòrén bùnéng tài dé cùn jìn chǐ, yào xuéhuì gǎn'ēn.
  • English: As a person, you can't be too greedy and demanding; you must learn to be grateful.
  • Analysis: This sentence expresses a core cultural value, contrasting the negative behavior with the positive virtue of gratitude (感恩).
• Example 8:
  • 最初他只是借点小钱，后来竟然得寸进尺，想骗走我所有的积蓄。
  • Pinyin: Zuìchū tā zhǐshì jiè diǎn xiǎoqián, hòulái jìngrán dé cùn jìn chǐ, xiǎng piàn zǒu wǒ suǒyǒu de jīxù.
  • English: At first, he just borrowed a little money, but later he got greedier and greedier, trying to cheat me out of all my savings.
  • Analysis: Shows a progression of negative behavior over time, where `得寸进尺` marks the turning point toward more serious actions.
• Example 9:
  • 我同意你晚交一天报告，但你别得寸进尺，想拖一个星期。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ tóngyì nǐ wǎn jiāo yì tiān bàogào, dàn nǐ bié dé cùn jìn chǐ, xiǎng tuō yí ge xīngqī.
  • English: I agree to let you hand in the report one day late, but don't push your luck and try to drag it out for a week.
  • Analysis: A clear and direct use of “别 (bié)” to command someone to stop their `得寸进尺` behavior. “Push your luck” is a good contextual translation here.
• Example 10:
  • 那个客户的得寸进尺让整个团队都感到非常疲惫。
  • Pinyin: Nàge kèhù de dé cùn jìn chǐ ràng zhěnggè tuánduì dōu gǎndào fēicháng píbèi.
  • English: That client's insatiable demandingness made the entire team feel exhausted.
  • Analysis: Here, the idiom is used as a noun phrase (`…的得寸进尺`) to refer to the behavior itself as the cause of a problem.

• Mistake 1: Confusing it with ambition.
  • `得寸进尺` is not about being ambitious or wanting to succeed. Ambition (e.g., 雄心 xióngxīn) can be positive. `得寸进尺` specifically describes the negative behavior of making unreasonable demands *after* someone has already been generous to you. It implies a lack of gratitude.
  • Incorrect: 他努力工作，想升职，真是得寸进尺。(He works hard and wants a promotion, he's so `dé cùn jìn chǐ`.) - WRONG. This is ambition.
  • Correct: 老板刚给他加了薪，他就得寸进尺地要求换一个更大的办公室。(The boss just gave him a raise, and he immediately `dé cùn jìn chǐ`-ly demanded a bigger office.) - CORRECT. This shows greed following a gain.
• Mistake 2: Using it for any large request.
  • This idiom is most appropriate when there's a clear “inch” that was given first. It describes an *escalation* of demands. Simply making a big request out of the blue isn't `得寸进尺`.
  • Example: Asking your boss for a 50% raise might be unreasonable (过分), but it's not `得寸进尺` unless they had just given you a 10% raise last week.

• `贪得无厌 (tān dé wú yàn)` - A direct synonym meaning “greedy and never satisfied.” It's slightly more formal and focuses on the internal state of greed, whereas `得寸进尺` often describes the external action.
• `人心不足蛇吞象 (rén xīn bù zú shé tūn xiàng)` - “A man's heart is not satisfied; a snake tries to swallow an elephant.” A vivid and powerful idiom describing boundless, self-destructive greed.
• `变本加厉 (biàn běn jiā lì)` - To become even worse; to intensify. This often describes how a person's `得寸进尺` behavior escalates over time.
• `贪心 (tānxīn)` - The common, everyday word for “greedy” (adjective) or “greed” (noun). `得寸进尺` is a specific, idiomatic expression of `贪心` behavior.
• `知足常乐 (zhī zú cháng lè)` - A philosophical concept and the direct antonym in principle. “One who is content is always happy.”
• `适可而止 (shì kě ér zhǐ)` - To stop at the right moment; to not overdo it. This is the behavior one should adopt to avoid being `得寸进尺`.
• `让步 (ràng bù)` - To make a concession. This is often the “inch” that the `得寸进尺` person receives before demanding a “mile.”