如临大敌
如临大敌 (rú lín dà dí) literally means “as if facing a great enemy” and expresses “treat a minor threat as a grave one”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: ru lin da di, ru lin da di,如临大敌 meaning, 如临大敌 in english
Treat a minor threat as a grave one
Pronunciation: rú lín dà dí Literal meaning: As if facing a great enemy
Origin & Usage
As if (如) facing (临) a great (大) enemy (敌). The phrase describes a posture rather than a situation, and that is what makes it double-edged. Used approvingly it praises proper seriousness in the face of something genuinely dangerous. Used dryly — which is at least as common — it observes that the precautions are wildly out of proportion to the threat, and it is the standard Chinese comment on an organisation mobilising its entire apparatus against a minor inconvenience.
Examples
English: "Approaching the final exam, she prepared as if she were facing a formidable opponent."
Chinese: 面对期末考试，她如临大敌般做好准备。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
所向无敌
suǒ xiàng wú dí
Be invincible; have no rivals
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临渊羡鱼
lín yuān xiàn yú
Act, don't just dream
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临危不惧
lín wēi bù jù
Courage under pressure
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身临其境
shēn lín qí jìng
Feel as if personally present
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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大同小异
dà tóng xiǎo yì
Essentially the same with minor differences
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大相径庭
dà xiāng jìng tíng
Vastly different; poles apart
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大智若愚
dà zhì ruò yú
Wisdom in humility
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 如临大敌 mean in English?
如临大敌 (rú lín dà dí) literally translates to “As if facing a great enemy” and is used to express “Treat a minor threat as a grave one”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 如临大敌 used?
Situation: Approaching the final exam, she prepared as if she were facing a formidable opponent.
What is the pinyin for 如临大敌?
The pinyin pronunciation for 如临大敌 is “rú lín dà dí”.