黑云压城城欲摧

黑雲壓城城欲摧

hēiyúnyāchéngchéngyùcuī

phrase

Meanings

1 black clouds press down on the city, the walls seem about to collapse
2 fig. a grim crisis looms — catastrophe feels imminent
3 Li He's iconic image of oppressive threat

Characters

city walls (repeated)

break / collapse

Examples

敌军压境，真是黑云压城城欲摧。

Díjūn yā jìng, zhēn shì hēi yún yā chéng chéng yù cuī.

With enemy forces pressing on the border, it was truly 'black clouds pressing on the city, walls about to fall.'

疫情最严重的时候，医院里气氛黑云压城城欲摧。

Yìqíng zuì yánzhòng de shíhou, yīyuàn lǐ qìfēn hēi yún yā chéng chéng yù cuī.

At the worst of the epidemic, the atmosphere in the hospital was like black clouds pressing down.

Tips

history

From Li He's (李贺) Mid-Tang poem 《雁门太守行》 (Ballad of the Governor of Yanmen): 黑云压城城欲摧，甲光向日金鳞开。 — 'Black clouds press on the city, the walls about to crumble; armor glinting in the sun opens like golden scales.' A poem about a desperate border siege, now the go-to line for any oppressive political or natural crisis.

usage

Often shortened to 黑云压城 in newspaper headlines and essays. Carries heavy dramatic weight — reserve for serious crises, not minor difficulties.

Stroke Order

黑 hēi

云 yún

压 yā

城 chéng

欲 yù

摧 cuī