马到功成
马到功成 (mǎ dào gōng chéng) literally means “horse arrives, success achieved” and expresses “swift success”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: ma dao gong cheng, ma dao gong cheng,马到功成 meaning, 马到功成 in english
Swift success
Pronunciation: mǎ dào gōng chéng Literal meaning: Horse arrives, success achieved
Origin & Usage
The horse (马) arrives (到) and the thing succeeds (功成). It belongs to Yuan drama, where a general's mount reaching the field is the moment the outcome is settled, and the compression is the point: no campaign, no struggle, just arrival and result. 马到功成 and 马到成功 are the same phrase; the 成功 order is the commoner one. Chinese uses it almost entirely as a wish rather than a description — what you write to someone before an examination, a new job or an opening — and it pairs conventionally with 旗开得胜.
Examples
English: "With his quick decision-making, the project was completed successfully in no time."
Chinese: 凭借他的快速决策，项目马到功成。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
马到成功
mǎ dào chéng gōng
Achieve immediate success
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水到渠成
shuǐ dào qú chéng
Success comes naturally
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功成名就
gōng chéng míng jiù
Achieve success and fame
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功成身退
gōng chéng shēn tuì
Retire after achieving success
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春蚕到死
chūn cán dào sǐ
Give out until nothing is left
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事半功倍
shì bàn gōng bèi
Less effort, better results
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功德圆满
gōng dé yuán mǎn
Successful completion
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丰功伟绩
fēng gōng wěi jì
Outstanding contributions
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 马到功成 mean in English?
马到功成 (mǎ dào gōng chéng) literally translates to “Horse arrives, success achieved” and is used to express “Swift success”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 马到功成 used?
Situation: With his quick decision-making, the project was completed successfully in no time.
What is the pinyin for 马到功成?
The pinyin pronunciation for 马到功成 is “mǎ dào gōng chéng”.