马不停蹄
马不停蹄 (mǎ bù tíng tí) literally means “horse does not stop hooves” and expresses “relentless progress”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: ma bu ting ti, ma bu ting ti,马不停蹄 meaning, 马不停蹄 in english
Relentless progress
Pronunciation: mǎ bù tíng tí Literal meaning: Horse does not stop hooves
Origin & Usage
A horse (马) whose hooves (蹄) never stop (不停) — the image is a mount ridden straight through without being allowed to rest, the way couriers rode. It describes a pace rather than an achievement, and unlike most perseverance idioms it carries no praise whatever: it is equally at home in a complaint. Somebody who tells you they have been 马不停蹄 all week is reporting exhaustion, not advertising their work ethic.
Examples
English: "She worked tirelessly, never pausing in her pursuit of excellence"
Chinese: 她不知疲倦地工作，马不停蹄地追求卓越
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
龙马精神
lóng mǎ jīng shén
Youthful vigor despite old age
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马到成功
mǎ dào chéng gōng
Achieve immediate success
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一马当先
yī mǎ dāng xiān
Lead the charge
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快马加鞭
kuài mǎ jiā biān
Accelerate progress
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马到功成
mǎ dào gōng chéng
Swift success
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单枪匹马
dān qiāng pǐ mǎ
Acting single-handed, without help
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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驷马难追
sì mǎ nán zhuī
Cannot undo what's done
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 马不停蹄 mean in English?
马不停蹄 (mǎ bù tíng tí) literally translates to “Horse does not stop hooves” and is used to express “Relentless progress”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 马不停蹄 used?
Situation: She worked tirelessly, never pausing in her pursuit of excellence
What is the pinyin for 马不停蹄?
The pinyin pronunciation for 马不停蹄 is “mǎ bù tíng tí”.