付之一炬 fù zhī yī jù Reduced to ashes

Explanation

付之一炬，意思是化为灰烬，形容彻底焚毁。它通常用来形容建筑物或其他物品被大火烧毁，也可用以比喻彻底消灭，彻底毁灭。

"Fu Zhi Yi Ju" means to be reduced to ashes, describing complete incineration. It's usually used to describe buildings or other items destroyed by fire, but can also be used to metaphorically represent complete annihilation or destruction.

Origin Story

唐朝诗人杜牧在《阿房宫赋》中写道：'楚人一炬，可怜焦土'。阿房宫，这座秦始皇耗费巨大的人力物力建造的奢华宫殿，最终被项羽一把火烧毁，化为焦土。故事讲述了秦朝末年，项羽率领楚军攻破咸阳后，为了泄愤，下令将阿房宫付之一炬，大火连烧数日，这座曾经无比辉煌的宫殿最终化为灰烬。这场大火，不仅象征着秦朝统治的彻底覆灭，也成为后世人们警示统治者骄奢淫逸的警示故事。杜牧借此抒发了对统治者骄奢淫逸的批判，以及对国家命运的担忧。

Táng cháo shī rén Dù Mù zài Ā Fáng Gōng Fù zhōng xiě dào: 'Chǔ rén yī jù, kělián jiāotǔ'. Ā Fáng Gōng, zhè zuò Qín Shǐ Huáng hàofèi jù dà de rén lì wù lì jiànzào de shēhuá gōngdiàn, zuìzhōng bèi Xiàng Yǔ yī bǎ huǒ shāohuǐ, huà wéi jiāotǔ. Gùshì jiǎngshù le Qín cháo mònián, Xiàng Yǔ shuǎilǐng Chǔ jūn gōngpò Xiányáng hòu, wèile xièfèn, xiàlìng jiāng Ā Fáng Gōng fù zhī yī jù, dà huǒ lián shāo shù rì, zhè zuò céngjīng wúbǐ huīhuáng de gōngdiàn zuìzhōng huà wéi huī jìn. Zhè chǎng dà huǒ, bù jǐn xiàngzhēngzhe Qín cháo tōngzhì de chèdǐ fùmìè, yě chéngwéi hòushì rénmen jǐngshì tōngzhì zhě jiāoshē yínyì de jǐngshì gùshì. Dù Mù jiè cǐ shūfā le duì tōngzhì zhě jiāoshē yínyì de pīpàn, yǐjí duì guójiā mìngyùn de dānyōu.

The Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu wrote in his "Ode to the Afang Palace": "Chu people, one fire, pitiful scorched earth." The Afang Palace, a luxurious palace built by the first Qin emperor with enormous human and material resources, was eventually burned to the ground by Xiang Yu. The story tells of the end of the Qin Dynasty, when Xiang Yu, leading the Chu army, captured Xianyang and, in a fit of rage, ordered the Afang Palace to be burned to the ground. The fire burned for days, and this once magnificent palace was reduced to ashes. This great fire not only symbolized the complete demise of the Qin Dynasty's rule, but also served as a cautionary tale to future rulers against extravagance and debauchery. Du Mu used this to express his criticism of the rulers' extravagance and debauchery, and his concern for the fate of the nation.

Usage

付之一炬通常用于描写火灾的严重程度，或比喻彻底毁灭，通常指不好的事物被彻底消灭。

fù zhī yī jù tóngcháng yòng yú miáoxiě huǒ zāi de yánzhòng chéngdù, huò bǐyù chèdǐ huǐmiè, tóngcháng zhǐ bù hǎo de shìwù bèi chèdǐ xiāomiè

"Fu Zhi Yi Ju" is typically used to describe the severity of a fire, or to metaphorically represent complete destruction, usually referring to the complete annihilation of something negative.

Examples

• 这场大火，将整个村庄付之一炬。

  zhè chǎng dà huǒ jiāng zhěng gè cūn zhuāng fù zhī yī jù

  The fire reduced the entire village to ashes.

• 侵略者将城市付之一炬，留下了满目疮痍。

  qīngluò zhě jiāng chéngshì fù zhī yī jù liú xià le mǎn mù chuāng yí

  The invaders burned the city to the ground, leaving behind a scene of devastation.

Related Idioms

• 灰飞烟灭

• 荡然无存

Opposite Idioms

• 重建

• 修复