"Dumb as a wooden chicken" originally referred to a well-trained fighting cock that, upon hearing other cocks crow, did not move at all and looked like a wooden chicken, while in fact its spirit was concentrated. This was the highest state of a fighting cock. It comes from Zhuangzi: Dasheng. Later, the meaning of the idiom evolved and was mostly used to describe a person who looks dull and dazed because of fear, surprise, or stupefaction, emphasizing slow reactions and a stiff expression. It is used in a wide range of situations, such as hearing astonishing news, facing an unexpected situation, or being left speechless when questioned. Its emotional coloring is generally derogatory, but it sometimes also carries a teasing tone. In terms of cultural background, this idiom embodies the Daoist idea that "the greatest wisdom appears as foolishness," seeming dull on the surface but actually restrained within. In modern Chinese, it is often used as a predicate, attributive, or adverbial, for example, "He stood there dumb as a wooden chicken."
📝 Example
Hearing the news that he had won the lottery, he was dumbstruck and didn't come back to his senses for a long time. (describing being stunned by extreme surprise)
Facing the teacher's severe criticism, he stood there like a wooden chicken, unable to say a single word. (describing being slow to react due to fear or shame)