排山倒海

páishān-dǎohǎi
idiom #66,747

Meanings

  1. 1 to push back mountains and overturn seas
  2. 2 overwhelming force; earth-shattering; of tremendous momentum

Examples

HSK 7-9
Guānzhòng de zhǎngshēng páishān-dǎohǎi bān xiǎngqǐ.
The audience's applause erupted like a tidal wave.
HSK 7-9
Tāmen yǐ páishān-dǎohǎi zhī shì xiàng dírén fāqǐ jìngōng.
They launched the attack against the enemy with overwhelming force.

Tips

history
The phrase echoes 资治通鉴 describing 世祖's "mountain-toppling, sea-overturning" military might, and was popularised by Song poet Yang Wanli comparing a violent illness to seas and mountains being overturned.
usage
Usually attached to 之势 ("force/momentum of") or to applause, cheers, attacks, things coming in an unstoppable wave.

Stroke Order

pái
shān
dǎo
hǎi