一刀两断

一刀兩斷

yīdāo-liǎngduàn

idiom #18,956

Meanings

HSK 3

她决定和过去一刀两断。

Tā juédìng hé guòqù yīdāo-liǎngduàn.

She decided to make a clean break with the past.

HSK 5

他们分手后一刀两断，再也没联系。

Tāmen fēnshǒu hòu yīdāo-liǎngduàn, 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