一网打尽
一网打尽 (yī wǎng dǎ jìn) literally means “capture all in one net” and expresses “round up every last one in a single sweep”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: yi wang da jin, yi wang da jin,一网打尽 meaning, 一网打尽 in english
Round up every last one in a single sweep
Pronunciation: yī wǎng dǎ jìn Literal meaning: Capture all in one net
Origin & Usage
One (一) net (网) taking (打) the lot (尽). A Song anecdote has an official using it after arresting an entire faction at a single banquet, and the phrase has kept that flavour of a coordinated sweep. Chinese uses it most naturally of police operations and anti-corruption drives, where the point is that nobody was left to warn the others. Applied to opportunities or customers it sounds ambitious and slightly predatory, which is often exactly the intention.
Examples
English: "The detective set a trap to catch all the suspects in one go."
Chinese: 侦探设下圈套，一网打尽所有嫌疑犯。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
天罗地网
tiān luó dì wǎng
Inescapable net; dragnet
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稳扎稳打
wěn zhā wěn dǎ
Proceed steadily; consolidate before advancing
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打草惊蛇
dǎ cǎo jīng shé
Alert the enemy
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趁火打劫
chèn huǒ dǎ jié
Exploit vulnerability
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一言难尽
yī yán nán jìn
Complex situation
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鸡飞蛋打
jī fēi dàn dǎ
To lose everything; complete failure
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精打细算
jīng dǎ xì suàn
Calculate carefully; be frugal and precise
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江郎才尽
jiāng láng cái jìn
Creativity permanently dried up
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 一网打尽 mean in English?
一网打尽 (yī wǎng dǎ jìn) literally translates to “Capture all in one net” and is used to express “Round up every last one in a single sweep”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 一网打尽 used?
Situation: The detective set a trap to catch all the suspects in one go.
What is the pinyin for 一网打尽?
The pinyin pronunciation for 一网打尽 is “yī wǎng dǎ jìn”.