不翼而飞 (bù yì ér fēi) — (of objects) to vanish without a trace; (of news, rumors) to spread like wildfire
Definition
A four-character idiom meaning something vanishes suddenly without a trace, or (for news/rumors) spreads incredibly fast. Both senses hinge on the image of 'flying without wings' — speed is the point, not the cause.
phrase
(of objects) to vanish without a trace(of news, rumors) to spread like wildfire
Examples
- ，不翼而飞。Wǒ de shǒu jī fàng zài zhuō shàng, yì zhuǎn yǎn jiù bù yì ér fēi le.My phone was on the table, and in the blink of an eye it vanished.
- 不翼而飞，。Zhè ge xiāo xi bù yì ér fēi, bú dào bàn tiān quán chéng dōu zhī dào le.This news spread like wildfire — within half a day the whole city knew.
- 不翼而飞。Tā gāng mǎi de zì xíng chē dì èr tiān jiù bù yì ér fēi le.The bicycle he just bought vanished the next day.
Appears in
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