不旋踵

bùxuánzhǒng
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 without turning the heel
  2. 2 in an instant, almost immediately
  3. 3 without retreating

Examples

Xiāoxi yī chū, gǔjià bù xuán zhǒng jiù diēle liǎng chéng.
The moment the news broke, the stock dropped twenty percent almost instantly.
Díjūn yājìng, tā háowú jùsè, bù xuán zhǒng yíngdí.
With the enemy at the gates he showed no fear, meeting them without a step back.
Jìhuà cái dìng, qíngkuàng bù xuán zhǒng yòu biàn le.
No sooner was the plan set than the situation changed again.

Tips

usage
Two senses: time (before you can turn around = in a flash) and courage (not turning one's heel = not retreating). Context usually makes it clear. Mostly literary; in speech 一转眼 or 立刻 is more common.

Stroke Order

xuán
zhǒng