迅雷不及掩耳 xùn léi bù jí yǎn ěr Faster than a thunderbolt can cover one's ear

Explanation

形容来势非常迅速，让人来不及防备。

Describes something that comes very quickly, leaving no time to react.

Origin Story

话说东汉末年，曹操挥兵西进，征讨盘踞在西北的马超和韩遂。经过一番激战，马超战败，向曹操求和。曹操表面上答应了，暗地里却加紧准备，伺机而动。他命令军队在渭水边修筑营寨，暗中积蓄力量，等待时机。一日，曹操突然率军出击，像迅雷不及掩耳一般，向马超发起了猛烈的攻击。马超毫无防备，措手不及，仓皇逃窜。曹操一举击败了马超和韩遂，彻底平定了西北地区。此次战役，曹操正是利用了“迅雷不及掩耳”之势，出其不意，攻其不备，取得了最终的胜利。这场战争也成为了历史上以迅猛之势取胜的经典案例，至今仍被人们津津乐道。

huà shuō dōnghàn mònián, cáocāo huī bīng xījìn, zhēng tǎo pánjū zài xīběi de mǎ chāo hé hán suì. jīngguò yīfān jījizhàn, mǎ chāo zhànbài, xiàng cáocāo qiú hé. cáocāo biǎomiànshàng dāyìng le, àndì li què jiā jǐn zhǔnbèi, sì jī ér dòng. tā mìnglìng jūnduì zài wèishuǐ biān xiūzhù yíngzhài, ànzhōng jīxù lìliàng, děngdài shíjī. yī rì, cáocāo tūrán shuài jūn chū jī, xiàng xùnléi bù jí yǎn'ěr yībān, xiàng mǎ chāo fāqǐ le měngliè de gōngjī. mǎ chāo háo wú fángbèi, cuòshǒu bùjí, cānghuáng táocuàn. cáocāo yī jǔ jībài le mǎ chāo hé hán suì, chèdǐ píngdìng le xīběi dìqū. cǐcì zhànyì, cáocāo zhèngshì lìyòng le “xùnléi bù jí yǎn'ěr” zhī shì, chū qí bù yì, gōng qí bù bèi, qǔdé le zuìzhōng de shènglì. zhè chǎng zhànzhēng yě chéngwéi le lìshǐ shàng yǐ xùnměng zhī shì qǔ shèng de jīngdiǎn ànlì, zhìjīn réng bèi rénmen jīnjīn dàodào.

In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao led his troops westward to campaign against Ma Chao and Han Sui, who were entrenched in the northwest. After a fierce battle, Ma Chao was defeated and sued for peace. Cao Cao outwardly agreed, but secretly intensified his preparations, waiting for the opportune moment. He ordered his army to build fortifications along the Wei River, secretly accumulating strength, and biding his time. One day, Cao Cao suddenly launched an attack, as swift as a thunderbolt, launching a fierce assault on Ma Chao. Ma Chao was completely unprepared, caught off guard, and fled in panic. Cao Cao defeated Ma Chao and Han Sui in one fell swoop, completely pacifying the northwest region. In this campaign, Cao Cao used the strategy of "as swift as a thunderbolt," taking his enemy by surprise and achieving a decisive victory. This battle became a classic example of a victory through swiftness in history, and is still admired by people today.

Usage

常用来形容事情发生得非常迅速，让人来不及反应。

cháng yòng lái xíngróng shìqíng fāshēng de fēicháng xùnsù, ràng rén lái bù jí fǎnyìng

Often used to describe something happening very quickly, leaving no time to react.

Examples

• 敌人的进攻如同迅雷不及掩耳，我们必须做好充分的准备。

  dí rén de jīngōng rútóng xùnléi bù jí yǎn'ěr, wǒmen bìxū zuò hǎo chōngfèn de zhǔnbèi

  The enemy's attack was as swift as a thunderbolt; we must be fully prepared.

• 事情发生得太突然了，真是迅雷不及掩耳。

  shìqíng fāshēng de tài tūrán le, zhēnshi xùnléi bù jí yǎn'ěr

  Things happened so suddenly, it was truly like a bolt from the blue..

Related Idioms

• 出其不意

• 攻其不备

Opposite Idioms

• 慢条斯理

• 从容不迫