一呼百应 (yì hū bǎi yìng) — (idiom) to rally widespread support at the first call; to command an enthusiastic response from many

Definition

Idiom for a leader whose single call draws eager, immediate support from many. Implies strong personal influence or authority — one voice, hundreds responding.

idiom
to rally widespread support at the first callto command an enthusiastic response from many

Examples

  • ，一呼百应。
    Zhè wèi lǐng dǎo yǐng xiǎng lì hěn dà, zhēn kě yǐ shuō shì yì hū bǎi yìng.
    This leader has great influence — he truly commands widespread response at a single call.
  • ，，一呼百应。
    Xīn zhèng cè yì chū tái, mín zhòng fǎn yìng rè liè, zhēn shì yì hū bǎi yìng.
    As soon as the new policy came out, the public responded enthusiastically — a true case of hundreds answering one call.
  • 一呼百应。
    Tā zài gōng sī lǐ shì yì hū bǎi yìng de rén wù.
    He is a figure in the company who gets everyone to respond instantly to his call.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

一呼one calls
一yīone呼hūcall
主谓Subject + predicate
百应hundred respond
百bǎihundred应yìngrespond
主谓Subject + predicate

一呼 and 百应 put one call and many responses in parallel, giving the sense of widespread support.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
乎
乎hū呼hū
Same sound today

呼 uses 口 (mouth) to show exhaling, calling, or shouting, and 乎 gives the sound.

Open 呼 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.