快马加鞭

快馬加鞭

kuàimǎ-jiābiān

idiom

Meanings

1 to spur a galloping horse on with the whip (idiom)
2 to go at top speed
3 to redouble one's efforts

Characters

to add; to apply

Examples

为了赶上进度，我们必须快马加鞭。

Wèile gǎnshàng jìndù, wǒmen bìxū kuàimǎjiābiān.

To catch up on schedule, we have to kick it into high gear.

项目进入最后阶段，团队快马加鞭地工作。

Xiàngmù jìnrù zuìhòu jiēduàn, tuánduì kuàimǎjiābiān de gōngzuò.

With the project in its final stage, the team is working flat out.

Tips

history

From Lu You's Song-dynasty poem 《村居》: 生僧快马随鞭影 — describing a horse so fast it already anticipates the whip. The image captures redoubled, urgent effort.

usage

Nearly always used figuratively for accelerating work or a project. Common collocations: 快马加鞭地 + verb, 快马加鞭，全力以赴.

Stroke Order

快 kuài

马 mǎ

加 jiā

鞭 biān