一气呵成

Pronunciation: yī qì hē chéng Literal meaning: Complete in one breath

Origin & Usage

Completed (成) in one (一) breath (气) — 呵 is the breath itself, the puff of warm air blown onto cold hands or onto a brush. What the phrase claims is not speed but continuity: the thing was made without its maker stopping, so there is no seam anywhere in it. That is why it belongs above all to writing and calligraphy, where a break in the stroke or in the argument shows afterwards. Chinese also uses it of a piece of music, a film's last act, and any job finished at one sitting because breaking off would have cost more than tiredness did.

Examples

English: "The artist completed the masterpiece in one inspired session"

Chinese: 艺术家在一次充满灵感的创作中完成了这幅杰作