趨之若鶩

趨之若鶩

1. (figurative, derogatory) to go after something like a flock of ducks; to scramble for something

   • 高棟飛甍，櫛比相望，閩、粵商人趨之若鶩。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     高栋飞甍，栉比相望，闽、粤商人趋之若鹜。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 17^th-18^th century, History of Ming

     Gāo dòng fēi méng, zhìbǐ xiàngwàng, Mǐn, Yuè shāngrén qūzhīruòwù. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 白雲觀就是他納賄的機關，高道士就是他作惡的心腹，京外的官員，那個不趨之若鶩呢？ [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     白云观就是他纳贿的机关，高道士就是他作恶的心腹，京外的官员，那个不趋之若鹜呢？ [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: 《孽海花》第二七回

     Báiyúnguān jiùshì tā nàhuì de jīguān, Gāo dàoshì jiùshì tā zuò'è de xīnfù, jīng wài de guānyuán, nǎge bù qūzhīruòwù ne? [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 2025 June 20, Meaghan Tobin, “中國企業迫切尋找新市場，押注巴西 [Chinese Companies Set Their Sights on Brazil]”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     這個有2億多人口的拉美最大經濟體令中國快遞和網約車公司趨之若鶩，這些公司希望出口其極限壓榨成本的商業模式。 [MSC, trad.]
     这个有2亿多人口的拉美最大经济体令中国快递和网约车公司趋之若鹜，这些公司希望出口其极限压榨成本的商业模式。 [MSC, simp.]

     Zhège yǒu 2 yì duō rénkǒu de lāměi zuìdà jīngjìtǐ lìng Zhōngguó kuàidì hé wǎngyuēchē gōngsī qūzhīruòwù, zhèxiē gōngsī xīwàng chūkǒu qí jíxiàn yāzhà chéngběn de shāngyè móshì. [Pinyin]

     Latin America’s largest economy, with a population of more than 200 million people, is a beacon for China’s delivery and ride-hailing companies looking to export their ruthlessly low-cost business models.

• “趨之若鶩”, in 重編國語辭典修訂本 [Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese), National Academy for Educational Research (Taiwan), 2021.