破釜沉舟 pò fǔ chén zhōu break the pots and sink the boats

Explanation

比喻下决心不顾一切地干到底。破釜沉舟，意思就是把锅砸碎，把船沉掉，表明决心，不求后路，一定要打败敌人。

Metaphor for a determination to do something regardless of the consequences. To "break the pots and sink the boats" is to show your determination by destroying your own means of retreat and making a decisive stand.

Origin Story

秦朝末年，秦王派大将章邯带20万大军进攻诸侯国赵国，赵王派人向楚王求援，楚王让宋义挂帅，项羽辅佐率军救援。宋义故意拖延时机，项羽杀了宋义并率军渡过漳水去援赵，他们在漳水岸边扎营，项羽为了激励士卒，下令将所有的锅都砸碎，把所有的船都沉入江底，让他们断绝后路，以示决心，必胜而归。他命令士兵们只携带三天的粮食，告诉他们：“如果我们打胜了，就可以活下去；如果我们打败了，就只有死路一条。

qín cháo mò nián, qín wáng pài dà jiàng zhāng hán dài èr shí wàn dà jūn jìn gōng zhū hóu guó zhào guó, zhào wáng pài rén xiàng chǔ wáng qiú yuán, chǔ wáng ràng sòng yì guà shuài, xiàng yǔ fǔ zuò shuài jūn jiù yuán。sòng yì gù yì tuō yán shí jī, xiàng yǔ shā le sòng yì bìng shuài jūn dù guò zhāng shuǐ qù yuán zhào, tā men zài zhāng shuǐ àn biān zhā yíng, xiàng yǔ wèi le jì lì shì zú, xià lìng jiāng suǒ yǒu de guō dōu zá suì, bǎ suǒ yǒu de chuán dōu chén rù jiāng dǐ, ràng tā men duàn jué hòu lù, yǐ shì jué xīn, bì shèng ér guī。tā mìng lìng bīng shì men zhǐ dài xié sān tiān de liáng shí, gàosu tā men：“rú guǒ wǒ men dǎ shèng le, jiù kě yǐ huó xià qù；rú guǒ wǒ men dǎ bài le, jiù zhǐ yǒu sǐ lù yī tiáo。

In the late Qin Dynasty, the Qin King sent General Zhang Han with an army of 200,000 to attack the principality of Zhao. The King of Zhao sent messengers to the King of Chu for help. The King of Chu appointed Song Yi as the commander-in-chief and Xiang Yu as his deputy. However, Song Yi deliberately delayed, and Xiang Yu killed him and led the army across the Zhang River to aid Zhao. They set up camp on the bank of the Zhang River. To inspire his soldiers, Xiang Yu ordered all the pots to be broken and all the ships to be sunk, cutting off their retreat and showing their determination. He ordered his soldiers to carry only three days' worth of food, telling them: “If we win, we can live; if we lose, it is our fate to die.

Usage

形容做事很有决心，不顾一切，一定要干成。

xíng róng zuò shì hěn yǒu jué xīn, bù gù yī qiè, yī dìng yào gàn chéng。

To describe someone who is determined to do something, regardless of the consequences.

Examples

• 为了实现梦想，他们决定破釜沉舟，拼搏到底。

  wèi le shí xiàn mèng xiǎng, tā men jué dìng pò fǔ chén zhōu, pīn bó dào dǐ。

  They decided to go all out to achieve their dreams.

• 面对困难，我们应该破釜沉舟，迎难而上。

  miàn duì kùn nan, wǒ men yīng gāi pò fǔ chén zhōu, yíng nán ér shàng。

  In the face of difficulties, we should be determined to overcome them.

• 这个项目难度很大，只有破釜沉舟，才能成功。

  zhè ge xiàng mù nán dù hěn dà, zhǐ yǒu pò fǔ chén zhōu, cái néng chéng gōng。

  This project is very difficult, and only by going all out can we succeed.

• 为了取得胜利，他们决定破釜沉舟，决一死战。

  wèi le qǔ dé shèng lì, tā men jué dìng pò fǔ chén zhōu, jué yī sǐ zhàn。

  To win, they decided to go all out and fight to the death.

• 这次比赛，我们必须破釜沉舟，争取胜利。

  zhè cì bǐ sài, wǒ men bì xū pò fǔ chén zhōu, zhēng qǔ shèng lì。

  In this competition, we must go all out and strive for victory.

Related Idioms

• 义无反顾

• 背水一战

• 决一死战

Opposite Idioms

• 优柔寡断

• 瞻前顾后

• 举棋不定