"The Chinese idiom 'shi na jiu wen' literally means that if you reach for something ten times, you can securely get it nine times. It is used as a metaphor for being very confident about doing something, with an extremely high possibility of success. It comes from the novel Qilu Deng by Li Luyuan in the Qing Dynasty, in which this expression is used to describe certainty about something. This idiom is usually used to describe having full confidence in an outcome, but it is not absolutely 100 percent certain, and still leaves a trace of uncertainty. In terms of usage scenarios, it is mostly used in plans, predictions, competitions, or everyday decisions to express a high-probability expectation of success. Its emotional tone is generally positive, carrying a sense of confidence and assurance, but sometimes it also implies caution, reminding people that even if the chances are very high, unexpected events cannot be completely ruled out. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the Chinese wisdom of being practical and leaving some room, neither being overly showy nor overly conservative. Compared with 'wen cao sheng quan', it emphasizes a high probability rather than absolute control."
📝 Example
1. He trains extremely hard normally, so winning the championship in this competition can be said to be a sure thing. (Describes that winning the championship is highly likely and with great confidence.)
2. As long as this plan is followed, completing the project on time is a sure thing. (Describes that completing the project on time is with great confidence.)