当机立断 dāng jī lì duàn make a snap decision

Explanation

“当机立断”是指在紧要关头，抓住时机，迅速做出决定。这个成语形容人果断、机智，在紧急情况下能够迅速做出明智的判断。

“当机立断” means to seize the opportunity and make a quick decision in a critical situation. The idiom describes a person who is decisive, resourceful, and can make wise judgments in emergencies.

Origin Story

三国时期，蜀国丞相诸葛亮率领军队北伐，与魏国军队在祁山对峙。魏国名将司马懿率领大军前来增援，诸葛亮为了保全蜀军，下令撤退。然而，蜀军撤退的道路被魏军堵住，情况十分危急。这时，诸葛亮冷静地观察了敌军布防，发现魏军在撤退必经之路设下了埋伏，如果按照原计划撤退，蜀军必然会陷入险境。诸葛亮当机立断，命令军队改变路线，从另一条偏僻的小路撤退。魏军追击而来，却发现蜀军已从另一条路撤离，只得无功而返。诸葛亮的当机立断，成功地避免了蜀军被魏军包围的命运。

sān guó shí qī, shǔ guó chéng xiàng zhū gě liàng shuài lǐng jūn duì běi fá, yǔ wèi guó jūn duì zài qí shān duì zhì. wèi guó míng jiāng sī mǎ yì shuài lǐng dà jūn lái zhēng yuán, zhū gě liàng wèi le bǎo quán shǔ jūn, xià lìng chè tuì. rán ér, shǔ jūn chè tuì de dào lù bèi wèi jūn dǔ zhù, qíng kuàng shí fèn wēi jí. zhè shí, zhū gě liàng lěng jìng de guān chá le dí jūn bù fáng, fā xiàn wèi jūn zài chè tuì bì jīng zhī lù shè xià le mái fú, rú guǒ àn zhào yuán jì huà chè tuì, shǔ jūn bì rán huì jiàn rù xiǎn jìng. zhū gě liàng dāng jī lì duàn, mìng lìng jūn duì gǎi biàn lù xiàn, cóng lìng yī tiáo piān bì de xiǎo lù chè tuì. wèi jūn zhuī jī ér lái, què fā xiàn shǔ jūn yǐ cóng lìng yī tiáo lù chè lí, zhǐ děi wú gōng ér fǎn. zhū gě liàng de dāng jī lì duàn, chéng gōng dì bì miǎn le shǔ jūn bèi wèi jūn bāo wéi de mìng yùn.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of the Shu Kingdom, led his army on a Northern Expedition and faced the army of Wei at Qishan Mountain. Sima Yi, a famous general of Wei, led a large army to provide reinforcements. To protect the Shu army, Zhuge Liang ordered a retreat. However, the Shu army's retreat route was blocked by the Wei army, and the situation was very dangerous. At this time, Zhuge Liang calmly observed the enemy's deployment and found that the Wei army had set up an ambush on the road to retreat. If they retreated according to the original plan, the Shu army would inevitably be in danger. Zhuge Liang made a snap decision and ordered his army to change its route and retreat through another remote path. The Wei army pursued them, but found that the Shu army had already withdrawn from another path, and had to return empty-handed. Zhuge Liang's quick decision successfully prevented the Shu army from being surrounded by the Wei army.

Usage

“当机立断”用于形容一个人在关键时刻能够果断做出决策，表现出机智、勇敢的特点。它可以用来赞扬一个人的决策能力，也可以用来批评一个人优柔寡断、缺乏决断力。

dāng jī lì duàn yòng yú xíng róng yī gè rén zài guān jiàn shí kè néng gòu guǒ duàn zuò chū jué cè, biǎo xiàn chū jī zhì, yǒng gǎn de tè diǎn. tā kě yǐ yòng lái zàn yáng yī gè rén de jué cè néng lì, yě kě yǐ yòng lái pī píng yī gè rén yōu róu guǎ duàn, què fá jué duàn lì.

“当机立断” is used to describe a person who can make decisive decisions in critical moments, showing intelligence and courage. It can be used to praise someone's decision-making ability, or to criticize someone's indecisiveness and lack of decisiveness.

Examples

• 面对突发状况，他当机立断，果断做出决策。

  miàn duì tū fā zhuàng kuàng, tā dāng jī lì duàn, guǒ duàn zuò chū jué cè.

  In the face of an emergency, he made a quick decision, making a decisive decision.

• 敌军突袭，将军当机立断，下令全军撤退。

  dí jūn tū xí, jiāng jūn dāng jī lì duàn, xià lìng quán jūn chè tuì.

  The enemy attacked suddenly, the general made a snap decision and ordered the entire army to retreat.

• 创业初期，他们遇到了资金短缺的难题，但他当机立断，决定调整经营策略。

  chuàng yè chū qī, tā men yù dào le zī jīn duǎn quē de nán tí, dàn tā dāng jī lì duàn, jué dìng tiáo zhěng jīng yíng cè lüè.

  In the early days of their business, they faced the problem of a shortage of funds, but he made a snap decision and decided to adjust their business strategy.

Related Idioms

• 英明果断

• 多谋善断

• 机智果断

Opposite Idioms

• 优柔寡断

• 犹豫不决

• 举棋不定