跑 了 和 尚，跑 不 了 寺

pǎo le hé shàng , pǎo bù liǎo sìdictionary entry

the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom) / you can run this time, but you'll have to come back / I'll get you sooner or later

Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-b30b04d378d821e2. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

跑了和尚，跑不了寺 跑了和尚，跑不了寺 [pao3 le5 he2 shang4 , pao3 bu4 liao3 si4] /the monk can run away, but the temple won't run with him (idiom)/you can run this time, but you'll have to come back/I'll get you sooner or later/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

跑
páo
(of an animal) to paw (the ground)
pǎo
to run / to run away / to escape / to run around (on errands etc) / (of a gas or liquid) to leak or evaporate / (verb complement) away / off
了
le
(completed action marker) / (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) / (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)
liǎo
to finish / (used with 得[dé] or 不[bù] after a verb to express (im)possibility, as in 忘不了[wàng bu liǎo] "cannot forget") / (literary) (usually followed by a negative such as 無|无[wú] or 不[bù]) completely (not) / entirely (not) / (not) in the least / (bound form) clear in one's mind / to understand clearly
liào
See the full entry for source details.
和
hé
(joining two nouns) and / together with / with (Taiwan pr. [hàn]) / (math.) sum / to make peace / (sports) to draw / to tie / (bound form) harmonious / (bound form) Japan / Japanese / (literary) harmonious (variant of 和[hé])
hè
to compose a poem in reply (to sb's poem) using the same rhyme sequence / to join in the singing / to chime in with others
hú
to complete a set in mahjong or playing cards
huó
to combine a powdery substance (flour, plaster etc) with water / Taiwan pr. [huò]
huò
to mix (ingredients) together / to blend / classifier for rinses of clothes / classifier for boilings of medicinal herbs
Hé
surname He
尚
shàng
still / yet / to value / to esteem
Shàng
surname Shang
跑
páo
(of an animal) to paw (the ground)
pǎo
to run / to run away / to escape / to run around (on errands etc) / (of a gas or liquid) to leak or evaporate / (verb complement) away / off
不
bù
no / not so / (bound form) not / un-
了
le
(completed action marker) / (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) / (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)
liǎo
to finish / (used with 得[dé] or 不[bù] after a verb to express (im)possibility, as in 忘不了[wàng bu liǎo] "cannot forget") / (literary) (usually followed by a negative such as 無|无[wú] or 不[bù]) completely (not) / entirely (not) / (not) in the least / (bound form) clear in one's mind / to understand clearly
liào
See the full entry for source details.
寺
sì
Buddhist temple / mosque / government office (old)

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.