直捣黄龙
直捣黄龙 (zhí dǎo huáng lóng) literally means “directly attack yellow dragon” and expresses “strike directly at the heart of enemy territory”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: zhi dao huang long, zhi dao huang long,直捣黄龙 meaning, 直捣黄龙 in english
Strike directly at the heart of enemy territory
Pronunciation: zhí dǎo huáng lóng Literal meaning: Directly attack Yellow Dragon
Origin & Usage
General Yue Fei's determination to recapture northern territories gave birth to this bold strategy of striking directly (直捣) at the Yellow Dragon (黄龙) - the Jin Dynasty's imperial palace in Kaifeng. The geographic symbolism carried both literal and metaphoric weight, representing both the physical seat of power and the heart of enemy strength. Song Dynasty military commanders adopted it as the ultimate expression of decisive action. Modern strategists, from military planners to business leaders, still invoke it to advocate bypassing peripheral targets to strike at the decisive center of power.
Examples
English: "The military campaign bypassed smaller targets to strike directly at the enemy's capital"
Chinese: 军事行动绕过较小的目标，直接打击敌人的首都
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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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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推波助澜
tuī bō zhù lán
Amplifying existing trends or momentum
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 直捣黄龙 mean in English?
直捣黄龙 (zhí dǎo huáng lóng) literally translates to “Directly attack Yellow Dragon” and is used to express “Strike directly at the heart of enemy territory”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 直捣黄龙 used?
Situation: The military campaign bypassed smaller targets to strike directly at the enemy's capital
What is the pinyin for 直捣黄龙?
The pinyin pronunciation for 直捣黄龙 is “zhí dǎo huáng lóng”.