Take advantage of an opportunity or excuse to gracefully exit a difficult situation. It's about finding a face-saving way to back out without embarrassment.
In rural China, donkeys were common transport. Getting off a donkey is easier on a slope — the metaphor is about using circumstances to make an awkward exit smoother.
In Chinese culture, saving face (面子) is crucial. This saying praises the wisdom of not stubbornly persisting but instead using available openings to retreat with dignity.
Draw random cards from hundreds of real Chinese folk sayings and proverbs. Each flip reveals what Chinese people actually mean.
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