急于星火

急於星火

jíyú-xīnghuǒ

idiom

Meanings

1 urgent as a shooting star
2 extremely pressing
3 of utmost urgency

Characters

urgent / hurried

Examples

HSK 7-9

军情急于星火，必须立刻出兵。

Jūnqíng jíyúxīnghuǒ, bìxū lìkè chūbīng.

The military situation is extremely pressing - troops must be deployed immediately.

HSK 7-9

事情急于星火，刻不容缓。

Shìqing jíyúxīnghuǒ, kèbùrónghuǎn.

The matter is urgent as a shooting star and brooks no delay.

Tips

history

From 李密's 《陈情表》 ("Memorial Expressing My Feelings," Jin dynasty): 州司临门，急于星火 - "Officials are at my door, urgent as a shooting star." Li Mi wrote it to decline a court appointment so he could care for his elderly grandmother; the essay became a classical model of filial piety.

usage

A more common variant is 急如星火 - same meaning, swap 于 (than) for 如 (as). Both are literary.

Stroke Order

急 jí

于 yú

星 xīng

火 huǒ