作鸟兽散 (zuō) — (idiom) to scatter in all directions; to flee helter-skelter; stampede
Definition
A vivid chengyu (literally "scatter like birds and beasts") for a crowd breaking apart in panic — stronger and more literary than simply saying 四散逃跑 ("flee in all directions"). Often used for mobs, crowds, or routed troops dispersing suddenly.
idiom
to scatter in all directionsto flee helter-skelterstampede
Examples
- ，作鸟兽散。Jǐng chá yí dào, nà xiē xiǎo fàn jiù zuō le.As soon as the police arrived, the vendors scattered in all directions.
- ，作鸟兽散。Tīng dào bào zhà shēng, rén qún lì kè zuō.Hearing the explosion, the crowd immediately fled helter-skelter.
- 作鸟兽散，。Dí jūn bèi dǎ bài hòu zuō, táo jìn le shān lǐ.After being defeated, the enemy troops scattered like birds and beasts and fled into the mountains.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.