风驰电掣

風馳電掣

fēngchí-diànchè

idiom #39,888

Meanings

HSK 6

新干线列车风驰电掣，一小时三百公里。

Xīngànxiàn lièchē fēngchí-diànchè, yī xiǎoshí sānbǎi gōnglǐ.

The Shinkansen tears along at three hundred kilometers per hour.

HSK 6

他风驰电掣地冲向终点。

Tā fēngchí-diànchè de chōng xiàng zhōngdiǎn.

He raced to the finish line at breakneck speed.

HSK 7-9

跑车风驰电掣般地驶过马路。

Pǎochē fēngchí-diànchè bān de shǐguò mǎlù.

The sports car shot down the road like wind and lightning.

memory

风 (wind) + 电 (lightning) - two of the fastest things in nature. 驰 = gallop, 掣 = flash. Speed squared.

history

From the ancient military classic 《六韬·龙韬·王翼》, describing elite troops who 'move like wind and lightning, leaving no trace of their path.'

风 fēng

驰 chí

电 diàn

掣 chè