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攻城略地

gōngchénglüèdì
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to storm cities and seize territory
  2. 2 (figurative) to expand aggressively, gain ground (in business or competition)

Examples

这家公司在海外市场攻城略地，发展迅速。
Zhè jiā gōngsī zài hǎiwài shìchǎng gōngchénglüèdì, fāzhǎn xùnsù.
The company has been aggressively gaining ground in overseas markets, growing rapidly.
将军率军攻城略地，所向披靡。
Jiāngjūn shuài jūn gōngchénglüèdì, suǒ xiàng pī mǐ.
The general led his troops in capturing cities and seizing territory, sweeping all before him.

Tips

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.

Stroke Order

攻 gōng
城 chéng
略 lüè
地 dì