万无一失
万无一失 (wàn wú yī shī) literally means “ten thousand without one failure” and expresses “absolutely sure; foolproof”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: wan wu yi shi, wan wu yi shi,万无一失 meaning, 万无一失 in english
Absolutely sure; foolproof
Pronunciation: wàn wú yī shī Literal meaning: Ten thousand without one failure
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes ten thousand (万) attempts without (无) one (一) failure (失). It depicts absolute reliability with no margin for error. The phrase was used for guaranteed outcomes. Modern usage describes plans or methods considered absolutely foolproof, though often used with ironic awareness that nothing is truly perfect.
Examples
English: "The plan was designed to be absolutely foolproof."
Chinese: 计划设计得万无一失。
Related Chinese Idioms
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胸有成竹
xiōng yǒu chéng zhú
Have clear plan beforehand
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步步为营
bù bù wéi yíng
Advance methodically with caution
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退避三舍
tuì bì sān shè
Make concessions to avoid conflict
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滴水不漏
dī shuǐ bù lòu
Absolutely flawless and thorough
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旁敲侧击
páng qiāo cè jī
Approach indirectly to achieve goal
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暗度陈仓
àn dù chén cāng
Achieve secretly through misdirection
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釜底抽薪
fǔ dǐ chōu xīn
Eliminate root cause of problem
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 万无一失 mean in English?
万无一失 (wàn wú yī shī) literally translates to “Ten thousand without one failure” and is used to express “Absolutely sure; foolproof”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 万无一失 used?
Situation: The plan was designed to be absolutely foolproof.
What is the pinyin for 万无一失?
The pinyin pronunciation for 万无一失 is “wàn wú yī shī”.