天罗地网 Tiān Luó Dì Wǎng net of traps

Explanation

比喻对敌人、逃犯等的严密包围，无路可逃。

It is a metaphor for the tight encirclement of enemies or fugitives, with no way to escape.

Origin Story

战国时期，秦国大将白起率军攻打赵国，赵国军队节节败退，眼看着就要被秦军消灭了。赵王急了，派人四处求援，结果发现各国都对赵国避之不及，只有义渠国愿意出兵相助。义渠国国君派了精锐部队，由大将蒙骜率领，前往救援赵国。蒙骜率领军队赶到赵国边境的时候，发现秦军已经将赵国包围得水泄不通，如同天罗地网一般，根本无法突破。蒙骜无奈，只得下令军队驻扎在边境，观察战局，等待机会。蒙骜观察了几天，发现秦军虽然包围了赵国，但他们并不着急进攻，似乎在等待着什么。蒙骜心生一计，派人前往秦军大营，佯装投降，向秦军打探消息。秦军将领看到蒙骜派人来投降，很高兴，以为蒙骜要投降了，就放松了警惕。蒙骜派来的使者将秦军营帐内的情况告诉了蒙骜，蒙骜得知秦军粮草不足，而且士气低落，便决定抓住这个机会，发起进攻。蒙骜率领义渠国军队，趁着夜色，从秦军的后方发起进攻，秦军猝不及防，被打得措手不及，最终大败而逃，赵国也因此得以解围。

zhàn guó shí qī, qín guó dà jiāng bái qǐ shuài jūn gōng dǎ zhào guó, zhào guó jūn duì jié jié bài tuì, yǎn kàn zhe jiù yào bèi qín jūn miè diē le. zhào wáng jí le, pài rén sì chù qiú yuán, jié guǒ fā xiàn gè guó dōu duì zhào guó bì zhī bù jí, zhǐ yǒu yì qú guó yuàn yì chū bīng xiāng zhù. yì qú guó guó jūn pài le jīng ruì bù duì, yóu dà jiāng méng ào shuài lǐng, qián wǎng jiù yuán zhào guó. méng ào shuài lǐng jūn duì gǎn dào zhào guó biān jìng de shí hou, fā xiàn qín jūn yǐ jīng jiāng zhào guó bāo wéi de shuǐ xiè bù tōng, rútóng tiān luó dì wǎng yī bān, gēn běn wú fǎ tū pò. méng ào wú nài, zhǐ děi xià lìng jūn duì zhù zhā zài biān jìng, guān chá zhàn jú, děng dài jī huì. méng ào guān chá le jǐ tiān, fā xiàn qín jūn suī rán bāo wéi le zhào guó, dàn tā men bù néng jí zháo jìn gōng, sì hū zài děng dài zhe shén me. méng ào xīn shēng yī jì, pài rén qián wǎng qín jūn dà yíng, yǎng zhuāng tóu xiáng, xiàng qín jūn dǎ tàn xiāo xi. qín jūn jiāng lǐng kàn dào méng ào pài rén lái tóu xiáng, hěn gāo xìng, yǐ wéi méng ào yào tóu xiáng le, jiù fàng sōng le jǐng tì. méng ào pài lái de shǐ zhě jiāng qín jūn yíng zhàng nèi de qíng kuàng gào sù le méng ào, méng ào dé zhī qín jūn liáng cǎo bù zú, ér qiě shì qì dī luò, biàn jué dìng zhuā zhù zhè ge jī huì, fā qǐ jìn gōng. méng ào shuài lǐng yì qú guó jūn duì, chèn zhe yè sè, cóng qín jūn de hòu fāng fā qǐ jìn gōng, qín jūn cù bù jí fáng, bèi dǎ de cuò bù jí fáng, zuì zhōng dà bài ér táo, zhào guó yě yīn cǐ dé yǐ jiě wéi.

During the Warring States period, Bai Qi, a general of the Qin state, led his army to attack Zhao. The Zhao army suffered defeat after defeat, and they were on the verge of being wiped out by the Qin army. The King of Zhao was desperate and sent people everywhere to ask for help. However, all other countries avoided Zhao, only the kingdom of Yíqú was willing to send troops to help. The king of Yíqú sent his elite troops, led by the general Meng Ao, to rescue Zhao. When Meng Ao arrived at the border of Zhao with his troops, he found that the Qin army had already completely surrounded Zhao, like a net of traps. There was no way to break through the Qin army. Meng Ao was at a loss and ordered his troops to build fortifications at the border, observe the situation, and wait for an opportunity. Meng Ao observed the situation for several days and found that the Qin army, although they were besieging Zhao, were not in a hurry to attack, as if they were waiting for something. Meng Ao had an idea and sent a messenger to the Qin army camp, pretending to surrender and to gather information about the Qin army. The Qin generals were delighted by the surrender message from Meng Ao and thought that Meng Ao was going to surrender. Therefore, they let down their guard. The messenger sent by Meng Ao told Meng Ao the situation in the Qin army camp. Meng Ao learned that the Qin army was short of food and the morale of the troops was low. He decided to seize this opportunity and launch an attack. Meng Ao led the troops of the kingdom of Yíqú, under the cover of night, to launch an attack from the rear of the Qin army. The Qin army was caught completely by surprise and could not defend themselves. In the end, they suffered a major defeat and fled. As a result, Zhao was saved.

Usage

形容对敌人或逃犯等的严密包围，无路可逃。

xióng róng duì dí rén huò táo fàn děng de yán mì bāo wéi, wú lù kě táo.

Used to describe the tight encirclement of enemies or fugitives, with no way to escape.

Examples

• 这个犯罪团伙已经被警方包围了，他们插翅难飞，插翅难飞，天罗地网，跑不掉了！

  zhè ge fàn zuì tuán huǒ yǐ jīng bèi jǐng fāng bāo wéi le, tā men chā chì nán fēi, chā chì nán fēi, tiān luó dì wǎng, pǎo bu diào le!

  This criminal gang has been surrounded by the police, they can't escape, they can't escape, they're caught in a net of traps, they can't escape!

• 犯罪分子无处可逃，落入法网，可谓是天罗地网，插翅难飞！

  fàn zuì fèn zi wú chù kě táo, luò rù fǎ wǎng, kě wèi shì tiān luó dì wǎng, chā chì nán fēi!

  The criminals have no escape, they are caught in the net, it is a net of traps, they can't escape!

Related Idioms

• 天网恢恢，疏而不漏

• 插翅难飞

Opposite Idioms

• 逍遥法外

• 逃之夭夭