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落荒而逃

luòhuāngértáo
idiom #35,205

Meanings

  1. 1 to flee in defeat
  2. 2 to bolt into the wilderness
  3. 3 to take to one's heels

Examples

敌军被我们打得落荒而逃。
Díjūn bèi wǒmen dǎ de luòhuāngértáo.
We routed the enemy and sent them fleeing in defeat.
辩论中他被对方驳得哑口无言，只好落荒而逃。
Biànlùn zhōng tā bèi duìfāng bó de yǎkǒuwúyán, zhǐhǎo luòhuāngértáo.
Left speechless in the debate, he had no choice but to slink away.
看见警察来了，小偷立刻落荒而逃。
Kànjiàn jǐngchá lái le, xiǎotōu lìkè luòhuāngértáo.
Spotting the police, the thief immediately bolted.

Tips

memory
落 (to fall onto) + 荒 (wilderness) — picture a routed soldier crashing off the road into wild country to escape.
history
Found in the Yuan-dynasty zaju play 《马陵道》, originally describing a defeated army abandoning the main road for the wilds.

Stroke Order

落 luò
荒 huāng
而 ér
逃 táo