萬事俱備,只欠東風

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Chinese

all; everything complete
only; merely; just
only; merely; just; but
 
deficient; owe; to lack
deficient; owe; to lack; yawn
 
easterly; spring wind
trad. (萬事俱備,只欠東風) 萬事 俱備 東風
simp. (万事俱备,只欠东风) 万事 俱备 东风
Literally: “All things are ready except for the easternly wind.”

Etymology

From the Romance of Three Kingdoms:

孔明紙筆屏退左右十六:「火攻萬事東風。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
孔明纸笔屏退左右十六:「火攻万事东风。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14th century CE
Kǒngmíng suǒ zhǐbǐ, píngtuì zuǒyòu, mì shū shíliù zì yuē: “Yù pò Cáo gōng, yí yòng huǒgōng; wànshì jù bèi, zhǐ qiàn dōngfēng.” [Pinyin]
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation


Idiom

萬事俱備,只欠東風

  1. Everything is ready except for one last crucial item.