百年不遇

bǎiniánbùyù

idiom #62,414

Meanings

1 occurring only once in a hundred years
2 extremely rare (typically of floods, droughts, or extraordinary events)

Characters

to meet; to encounter

Examples

今年的洪水是百年不遇的大灾。

Jīnnián de hóngshuǐ shì bǎiniánbùyù de dà zāi.

This year's flood is a once-in-a-century disaster.

能亲眼看到日全食，真是百年不遇的机会。

Néng qīnyǎn kàndào rìquánshí, zhēn shì bǎiniánbùyù de jīhuì.

Seeing a total solar eclipse with your own eyes is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Tips

usage

Often used for natural disasters (floods, droughts, earthquakes) to stress severity. Also used loosely for rare positive opportunities, though the disaster sense is more common in news.

Stroke Order

百 bǎi

年 nián

不 bù

遇 yù