万马奔腾
万马奔腾 (wàn mǎ bēn téng) literally means “ten thousand horses galloping” and expresses “powerful unstoppable momentum”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: wan ma ben teng, wan ma ben teng,万马奔腾 meaning, 万马奔腾 in english
Powerful unstoppable momentum
Pronunciation: wàn mǎ bēn téng Literal meaning: Ten thousand horses galloping
Origin & Usage
Ten thousand (万) horses (马) at full gallop (奔腾). Chinese uses 万 as an intensifier rather than a count, and what the image supplies beyond mere numbers is the ground noise — a mass of animals moving as one thing, felt before it is seen. Poets applied it to rivers in flood and to surf. Modern usage is mostly figurative and often official, describing an economy or a national effort, and it always implies collective momentum rather than individual speed.
Examples
English: "After the announcement, the stock market surged with unprecedented trading volume"
Chinese: 公告发布后，股市以前所未有的交易量飙升
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
驷马难追
sì mǎ nán zhuī
Cannot undo what's done
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老马识途
lǎo mǎ shí tú
Experience brings wisdom
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金戈铁马
jīn gē tiě mǎ
Magnificent military might and valor
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飞黄腾达
fēi huáng téng dá
Rise to fame and fortune rapidly
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指鹿为马
zhǐ lù wéi mǎ
Deliberately distort truth as power display
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走马观花
zǒu mǎ guān huā
Observe hastily and superficially
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心猿意马
xīn yuán yì mǎ
Restless, unfocused mind
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悬崖勒马
xuán yá lè mǎ
Stop before too late
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 万马奔腾 mean in English?
万马奔腾 (wàn mǎ bēn téng) literally translates to “Ten thousand horses galloping” and is used to express “Powerful unstoppable momentum”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 万马奔腾 used?
Situation: After the announcement, the stock market surged with unprecedented trading volume
What is the pinyin for 万马奔腾?
The pinyin pronunciation for 万马奔腾 is “wàn mǎ bēn téng”.
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