乘风破浪

乘風破浪
chéngfēng-pòlàng
idiom #38,776

Meanings

  1. 1 to ride the wind and cleave the waves
  2. 2 to have grand ambitions; to forge ahead courageously
  3. 3 to brave wind and waves

Examples

HSK 4
Niánqīngrén yīnggāi chéngfēng-pòlàng, yǒnggǎn zhuīqiú mèngxiǎng.
Young people should ride the wind and waves, boldly chasing their dreams.
HSK 7-9
Gōngsī chéngfēng-pòlàng, xùnsù chéngwéi hángyè lǐngjūn zhě.
The company forged ahead and quickly became the industry leader.

Tips

history
From 宋书·宗悫传: as a boy, Zong Que (Liu-Song dynasty) was asked his ambition and replied 愿乘长风破万里浪 - 'I wish to ride the great wind and break ten-thousand-li waves'. He later rose to become a celebrated general.
culture
A perennially popular motivational phrase - became a household term thanks to the 2020 hit variety show 乘风破浪的姐姐 (Sisters Who Make Waves), which used it to frame mid-career women in pop music.

Stroke Order

chéng
fēng
làng