赶尽杀绝

趕盡殺絕

gǎnjìn-shājué

idiom #23,900

Meanings

1 to exterminate completely
2 to wipe out without mercy
3 to show no mercy

Characters

to drive out, to chase

to exhaust, completely

to cut off, to exterminate

Examples

HSK 5

他对待敌人从不手软，总是赶尽杀绝。

Tā duìdài dírén cóngbù shǒuruǎn, zǒngshì gǎnjìn-shājué.

He never shows weakness toward enemies and always wipes them out completely.

HSK 5

你不必赶尽杀绝，留条退路对大家都好。

Nǐ búbì gǎnjìn-shājué, liú tiáo tuìlù duì dàjiā dōu hǎo.

There is no need to be completely ruthless - leaving an exit is better for everyone.

Tips

usage

赶尽杀绝 is used to describe ruthless, total elimination with no survivors or escape. It can describe actual violence or, more commonly, a figurative determination to destroy competition or opposition entirely.

Stroke Order

赶 gǎn

尽 jìn

杀 shā

绝 jué