横行霸道
横行霸道 (héng xíng bà dào) literally means “move crosswise, rule by force” and expresses “arrogant and lawless”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: heng xing ba dao, heng xing ba dao,横行霸道 meaning, 横行霸道 in english
Arrogant and lawless
Pronunciation: héng xíng bà dào Literal meaning: Move crosswise, rule by force
Origin & Usage
横行 is moving (行) sideways or unrestrained (横), and 霸道 is rule by force as opposed to rule by right. So the phrase is someone moving through the world crosswise and governing by 霸 rather than 王 — trampling laterally over whatever is in the way. Chinese says it of local strongmen, of bullying officials and, very commonly, of children. It is a strong condemnation and specifically about the exercise of power over people who cannot answer back.
Examples
English: "His arrogant attitude made him many enemies in the workplace."
Chinese: 他的横行霸道让他在职场上结下了许多敌人。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
天马行空
tiān mǎ xíng kōng
Unrestrained creativity
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称王称霸
chēng wáng chēng bà
Domineering behavior
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纵横捭阖
zòng héng bǎi hé
Strategic maneuvering
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滴水不漏
dī shuǐ bù lòu
Absolutely flawless and thorough
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天衣无缝
tiān yī wú fèng
Flawless and perfectly seamless
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羊肠小道
yáng cháng xiǎo dào
A narrow, winding, difficult road
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微不足道
wēi bù zú dào
Too slight to weigh at all
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背道而驰
bèi dào ér chí
Run directly counter to the aim
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 横行霸道 mean in English?
横行霸道 (héng xíng bà dào) literally translates to “Move crosswise, rule by force” and is used to express “Arrogant and lawless”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 横行霸道 used?
Situation: His arrogant attitude made him many enemies in the workplace.
What is the pinyin for 横行霸道?
The pinyin pronunciation for 横行霸道 is “héng xíng bà dào”.