10 Chinese Idioms About Speed & Quickness

Commit with no retreat

Literal meaning: Break pots sink boats

Originating from a famous historical event in 207 BCE, this idiom recounts how general Xiang Yu ordered his troops to break (破) their cooking pots (釜) and sink (沉) their boats (舟) before battling the Qin army. By eliminating the possibility of retreat, he created absolute commitment to victory. Duri...

Misfortune might be a blessing

Literal meaning: Old man loses horse

This profound idiom originates from the story of a wise old man (塞翁) living near the northern border who lost his prized horse (失马). When neighbors came to console him, he asked, 'How do you know this isn't good fortune?' Indeed, the horse later returned with a magnificent wild horse. When neighbors...

Progress needs constant effort

Literal meaning: Boat moving against current

This idiom describes a boat (舟) moving (行) against (逆) the current (水), originally appearing in Tang Dynasty texts discussing persistence in difficult endeavors. The metaphor draws from the experience of river traders who understood that stopping meant drifting backward. During the Song Dynasty, it ...

Overly fearful and suspicious

Literal meaning: Wind sound crane call

Dating back to the Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE), this idiom emerged from the aftermath of the Battle of Fei River. The defeated army became so paranoid that they mistook every wind (风) sound (声) and crane's (鹤) cry (唳) for enemy movements. The image draws from the watchful nature of cranes, known in Chi...

Perfect timing and conditions

Literal meaning: Golden wind jade dew

This poetic idiom pairs golden (金) autumn wind (风) with jade-like (玉) dew (露), dating from Tang Dynasty nature poetry. It captures the crystalline clarity of fall mornings when the first cool breezes meet with early dew, traditionally considered the most beautiful moments of the year. The combinatio...

Practice with determination

Literal meaning: Hear rooster rise dance

This inspiring idiom recalls the story of Zu Di, a Jin Dynasty general who would rise (起) to practice sword dance (舞) whenever he heard (闻) roosters (鸡) crow. His daily pre-dawn dedication ultimately led to military excellence. The rooster's call, traditionally marking daybreak, became a symbol of s...

Endure hardship for goals

Literal meaning: Pillow stone rinse stream

Drawing from the biography of the recluse-scholar Xu You, who chose to pillow (枕) on stones (石) and rinse (漱) his mouth with flowing (流) stream water rather than accept a position at court during the Yao period. This Wei-Jin period idiom embodied the classical Chinese ideal of maintaining personal i...

Perfect through careful work

Literal meaning: Jade becomes perfect

Originally appearing in the Classic of Poetry, this idiom references the painstaking process of jade (玉) craftsmanship, where the stone becomes (成) perfected through careful work (汝). Ancient craftsmen observed that jade's true beauty emerged only through patient, deliberate cultivation. During the ...

Experience brings wisdom

Literal meaning: Old horse knows way

Dating back to the Zhou Dynasty, this idiom comes from the story of Duke Mu of Qin who, lost in unfamiliar territory, relied on an old horse (老马) to find their way (识途) home through a snowstorm. The horse, having traversed these paths in its youth, remembered the safe routes despite years passing. O...

Powerful unstoppable momentum

Literal meaning: Ten thousand horses galloping

This dynamic idiom envisions ten thousand (万) horses (马) galloping (奔腾) together, originating from Tang Dynasty military descriptions. It first appeared in chronicles describing the impressive cavalry forces of border generals, where the thundering hooves created both visual and auditory spectacle. ...