攻城略地

gōngchéng-lüèdì

idiom

Meanings

HSK 6

这家公司在海外市场攻城略地，发展迅速。

Zhè jiā gōngsī zài hǎiwài shìchǎng gōngchéng-lüèdì, fāzhǎn xùnsù.

The company has been aggressively gaining ground in overseas markets, growing rapidly.

HSK 7-9

将军率军攻城略地，所向披靡。

Jiāngjūn shuài jūn gōngchéng-lüèdì, suǒxiàngpīmǐ.

The general led his troops in capturing cities and seizing territory, sweeping all before him.

history

From 《淮南子·兵略训》 (Western Han): 攻城略地，莫不降下 - 'in storming cities and seizing land, none failed to surrender.' The original sense is purely military.

mistakes

略 here is lüè (to seize, plunder), not the everyday 'roughly/briefly.' 攻城略地 is also written 攻城掠地 - same meaning.

攻 gōng

城 chéng

略 lüè

地 dì