Chinese word

潜移默化

Pronunciation

Pinyinqián yí mò huà

Meaning

idiomimperceptibly influence

Example

好习惯会在日常生活中潜移默化。hǎo xí guàn huì zài rì cháng shēng huó zhōng qián yí mò huà

Good habits imperceptibly influence people in daily life.

Illustration for 潜移默化 (imperceptibly influence)

More examples

老师的言行会潜移默化地影响学生的价值观。lǎo shī de yán xíng huì qián yí mò huà dì yíng xiǎng xué shēng de jià zhí guān

Teachers' words and actions imperceptibly influence students' values.

Core concept

A barely noticed force settles into daily life and gradually changes the way a person thinks or acts.

Common phrases

潜移默化地影响qián yí mò huà dì yíng xiǎng
imperceptibly influence
潜移默化的影响qián yí mò huà de yíng xiǎng
imperceptible influence

Similar words

不知不觉bù zhī bù jué: Produce a gradual change that happens without conscious awareness.
耳濡目染ěr rú mù rǎn: Gradually influence a person through repeated sights and sounds.
润物无声rùn wù wú shēng: Quietly cause changes that cannot be seen as they happen.

Definition in Chinese

在没有明显察觉的情况下，外界因素逐步渗入并改变人的观念、行为或习惯zài méi yǒu míng xiǎn chá jué de qíng kuàng xià wài jiè yīn sù zhú bù shèn rù bìng gǎi biàn rén de guān niàn xíng wéi huò xí guàn

Word origin

The components 潜 (qián, "hidden"), 移 (yí, "shift"), 默 (mò, "silent"), and 化 (huà, "change") combine the ideas of hidden movement, silence, and transformation.

Usage tips

The idiom suits lasting effects better than a single sudden event, especially when discussing education, culture, or daily routines.

Other meanings

gradually influenceidiom

Opposites

立竿见影lì gān jiàn yǐnghave an immediate effectidiom