五体投地

五體投地

wǔtǐ-tóudì

idiom #30,466

Meanings

1 to prostrate oneself in admiration
2 to be utterly impressed
3 to admire someone to the highest degree

Characters

to throw, to cast

Examples

HSK 6

他的才华让我佩服得五体投地。

Tā de cáihuá ràng wǒ pèifú de wǔtǐ-tóudì.

His talent makes me admire him to the utmost.

HSK 7-9

对你的厨艺，我五体投地。

Duì nǐ de chúyì, wǒ wǔtǐ-tóudì.

I bow down to your cooking skills.

Tips

history

From Xuanzang's Tang-dynasty 《大唐西域记》 (Records of the Western Regions), describing the highest of nine grades of Buddhist salutation: touching the ground with the 'five parts' (两手 two hands, 两膝 two knees, 头 head) - i.e. full prostration. Today used figuratively for total admiration, almost always with 佩服 (pèifú) - 佩服得五体投地 is the standard collocation.

Stroke Order

五 wǔ

体 tǐ

投 tóu

地 dì