不
鸣
则
已
，
一
鸣
惊
人
b
ù
m
í
n
g
z
é
y
ǐ
,
y
ī
m
í
n
g
j
ī
n
g
r
é
n
Definitions
1. silent until it sings; when it sings, it astonishes everyone
Components
不
bù
–
(negative prefix)
鸣
míng
–
to cry (of birds, animals and insects)
则
zé
–
(conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but
已
yǐ
–
already
一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rén
–
to amaze the world with a single brilliant feat (idiom); an overnight celebrity