不翼而飞 bù yì ér fēi vanish into thin air

Explanation

比喻东西突然丢失或消息迅速传播。

It means that something is suddenly lost or news spreads quickly.

Origin Story

战国时期，秦国攻打赵国邯郸，久攻不下。有个士兵建议秦王："大王，如果能及时把攻城的喜讯传回国内，那么全国人民都会受到鼓舞，士气大振，邯郸很快就能攻下。"秦王觉得这个建议不错，就采纳了。果然，消息传回秦国后，全国上下欢欣鼓舞，士气大涨，秦军很快攻陷了邯郸。这个故事说明，好消息传播得很快，就像长了翅膀一样，一下子就飞遍各地了。

zhàn guó shí qī, qín guó gōng dǎ zhào guó hándān, jiǔ gōng bù xià. yǒu gè shìbīng jiànyì qín wáng: 'dà wáng, rúguǒ néng jíshí bǎ gōng chéng de xǐxùn chuán huí guónèi, nàme quán guó rénmín dōu huì shòudào gǔwǔ, shìqì dà zhèn, hándān hěn kuài jiù néng gōng xià.' qín wáng juéde zhège jiànyì bù cuò, jiù cǎinà le. guǒrán, xiāoxi chuán huí qín guó hòu, quán guó shàngxià huānxīn gǔwǔ, shìqì dà zhǎng, qín jūn hěn kuài gōng xiàn le hándān. zhège gùshì shuōmíng, hǎo xiāoxi chuán de hěn kuài, jiù xiàng zhǎng le chìbǎng yīyàng, yīxiàzi jiù fēibiàn gèdì le.

During the Warring States period, the State of Qin attacked Handan, the capital of Zhao, but without success. A soldier suggested to the King of Qin: "Your Majesty, if you can promptly spread the good news of the siege to the country, then the whole people will be encouraged, morale will be boosted, and Handan will soon fall." The King of Qin thought that this suggestion was good, and he adopted it. Sure enough, after the news spread back to the Qin State, the whole country rejoiced, morale soared, and the Qin army quickly captured Handan. This story shows that good news spreads very quickly, as if it had wings, and immediately flew all over the place.

Usage

常用来形容物品突然丢失或消息迅速传播。

cháng yòng lái xiángróng wùpǐn tūrán diūshī huò xiāoxī xùnsù chuánbō

It is often used to describe the sudden loss of items or the rapid spread of news.

Examples

• 他的钱包不翼而飞了。

  tā de qiánbāo bù yì ér fēi le

  His wallet vanished into thin air.

• 这个消息不翼而飞，传遍了整个城市。

  zhège xiāoxi bù yì ér fēi, chuánbiàn le zhěngge chéngshì

  The news spread like wildfire throughout the city.

Related Idioms

• 不胫而走

• 销声匿迹

Opposite Idioms

• 原封不动

• 完好无损