蠢蠢欲动 chǔn chǔn yù dòng restless; poised to move

Explanation

形容敌人准备进攻或坏人阴谋捣乱，也比喻事情即将发生。

Describes that the enemy is preparing an attack or that villains are plotting mischief, or that something is about to happen.

Origin Story

话说三国时期，蜀汉丞相诸葛亮北伐曹魏，屡战屡胜。一次，诸葛亮率领大军抵达祁山脚下，准备攻打魏军重镇天水。探子回报，魏军在城内蠢蠢欲动，似乎在准备反击。诸葛亮仔细分析敌情，发现魏军虽然看似气势汹汹，但实际上兵力不足，后勤也出现问题。诸葛亮决定抓住机会，一举攻下天水。他下令全军严阵以待，并亲自指挥战斗。经过一场激烈的战斗，蜀军成功攻破天水城，魏军溃不成军。诸葛亮再次展现了他卓越的军事才能和对敌情的精准判断。这场战役也成为中国历史上以少胜多的经典战例，诸葛亮洞察先机，抓住时机，成功击败了敌人。

huì shuō sān guó shí qī, shǔ hàn chéng xiàng zhū gé liàng běi fá cáo wèi, lǚ zhàn lǚ shèng. yī cì, zhū gé liàng shuài lǐng dà jūn dǐ dá qí shān jiǎo xià, zhǔnbèi gōng dǎ wèi jūn zhòng zhèn tiān shuǐ. tàn zǐ huí bào, wèi jūn zài chéng nèi chǔn chǔn yù dòng, sìhū zài zhǔnbèi fǎnjī. zhū gé liàng zǐ xì fēn xī dí qíng, fā xiàn wèi jūn suī rán kàn sì qì shì xīōng xīōng, dàn shíjì shàng bīng lì bù zú, hòu qín yě chū xiàn wèntí. zhū gé liàng juédìng zhuā zhù jī huì, yī jǔ gōng xià tiān shuǐ. tā xià lìng quán jūn yán zhèn yǐ dài, bìng qīn zì zhǐ huī zhàn dòu. jīng guò yī chǎng jī liè de zhàn dòu, shǔ jūn chéng gōng gōng pò tiān shuǐ chéng, wèi jūn kuì bù chéng jūn. zhū gé liàng zài cì zhǎn xiàn le tā zhuó yuè de jūnshì cái néng hé duì dí qíng de jīng zhǔn pànduàn. zhè chǎng zhàn yì yě chéng wéi zhōng guó lìshǐ shàng yǐ shǎo shèng duō de jīng diǎn zhàn lì, zhū gé liàng dòng chà xiān jī, zhuā zhù shí jī, chéng gōng dǎibài le dí rén

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, the chancellor of Shu Han, repeatedly won battles against Cao Wei in his Northern Expeditions. Once, Zhuge Liang led his troops to the foot of Qishan Mountain, preparing to attack the Wei stronghold of Tianshui. Scouts reported that the Wei army was restless in the city, seemingly preparing for a counterattack. Zhuge Liang carefully analyzed the enemy situation and found that while the Wei army seemed aggressive, they were actually undermanned and their logistics were problematic. Zhuge Liang decided to seize the opportunity and capture Tianshui in one fell swoop. He ordered the entire army to prepare for battle and personally commanded the fight. After a fierce battle, the Shu army successfully broke through Tianshui city, and the Wei army was routed. Zhuge Liang once again demonstrated his superb military talent and accurate judgment of the enemy situation. This battle became a classic example in Chinese history of winning against overwhelming odds, where Zhuge Liang seized the opportunity and successfully defeated the enemy.

Usage

用于形容敌人将要发动进攻或坏人策划阴谋，也比喻某事即将发生。

yòng yú xiáoróng dí rén jiāng yào fādòng gōngjī huò huài rén cèhuà yīnmóu, yě bǐ yù mǒu shì jíjiāng fāshēng

Used to describe that the enemy is about to launch an attack, or that villains are planning a conspiracy; it is also used to describe that something is imminent.

Examples

• 敌军蠢蠢欲动，随时可能发动进攻。

  dí jūn chǔn chǔn yù dòng, suíshí kěnéng fādòng gōngjī

  The enemy is poised to attack at any time.

• 山雨欲来风满楼，局势蠢蠢欲动，让人不安。

  shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu, júshì chǔn chǔn yù dòng, ràng rén bù'ān

  The situation is tense and unsettling, like a storm brewing.

Related Idioms

• 跃跃欲试

• 摩拳擦掌

Opposite Idioms

• 按兵不动

• 静观其变