破釜沉舟
破釜沉舟 (pò fǔ chén zhōu) literally means “break pots sink boats” and expresses “commit with no retreat”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: po fu chen zhou, po fu chen zhou,破釜沉舟 meaning, 破釜沉舟 in english
Commit with no retreat
Pronunciation: pò fǔ chén zhōu Literal meaning: Break pots sink boats
Origin & Usage
In 207 BCE Xiang Yu took his army across the river to relieve Julu, and then had the boats (舟) sunk (沉) and the cooking pots (釜) smashed (破), keeping three days' rations and nothing else. The Records of the Grand Historian is explicit that this was done to show the troops they would die rather than turn back. He won. What the four characters describe is not courage but the deliberate destruction of one's own options, which is a decision taken before the fighting rather than during it. Any commitment made by removing the way back qualifies.
Examples
English: "He quit his job to start a business, fully committed to success"
Chinese: 他辞去工作创业，全身心投入追求成功
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
逆水行舟
nì shuǐ xíng zhōu
Progress needs constant effort
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百折不挠
bǎi zhé bù náo
Unshakeable despite adversity
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守时如金
shǒu shí rú jīn
Value time preciously
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一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rén
Sudden, remarkable success
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水滴石穿
shuǐ dī shí chuān
Persistence achieves anything
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天道酬勤
tiān dào chóu qín
Effort is eventually repaid
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众志成城
zhòng zhì chéng chéng
Unity creates strength
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一言九鼎
yī yán jiǔ dǐng
Words carry great weight
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 破釜沉舟 mean in English?
破釜沉舟 (pò fǔ chén zhōu) literally translates to “Break pots sink boats” and is used to express “Commit with no retreat”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 破釜沉舟 used?
Situation: He quit his job to start a business, fully committed to success
What is the pinyin for 破釜沉舟?
The pinyin pronunciation for 破釜沉舟 is “pò fǔ chén zhōu”.
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