冰消瓦解

Pronunciation: bīng xiāo wǎ jiě Literal meaning: Ice melts tile breaks

Origin & Usage

The vivid image of ice (冰) melting (消) and tiles (瓦) breaking apart (解) originated in military texts describing the sudden collapse of seemingly solid formations. First appearing in Three Kingdoms period chronicles, it described how strong alliances could suddenly dissolve when facing internal pressures or external threats. The metaphor draws power from the natural process of spring thaw, when solid ice suddenly loses coherence, creating a cascade effect of disintegration. Historical records from the Tang and Song dynasties frequently employed this phrase to describe the fall of rebellious factions or declining dynasties. Modern usage extends to any situation where apparently stable structures - from business empires to political systems - rapidly disintegrate under pressure.

When to Use

Situation: The team's presentation eliminated all objections to the project

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