一刀两断

一刀兩斷

yīdāo-liǎngduàn

idiom #18,956

Meanings

她决定和过去一刀两断。

Tā juédìng hé guòqù yīdāoliǎngduàn.

She decided to make a clean break with the past.

他们分手后一刀两断，再也没联系。

Tāmen fēnshǒu hòu yīdāoliǎngduàn, zàiyě méi liánxì.

After they broke up, they cut off all ties and never contacted each other again.

memory

一刀 (one knife cut) + 两断 (two pieces) — one slash of the knife and it's in two pieces. A vivid image for severing a relationship completely.

一 yī

刀 dāo

两 liǎng

断 duàn