头破血流 (tóu pò xiě) — to be badly beaten (physically or in a conflict); to suffer a crushing defeat
Definition
A vivid idiom meaning 'battered and bleeding' — used for both physical beatings and devastating defeats in arguments or competition. Note the doubled structure 头破…血流 ('head broken…blood flowing') that mirrors its imagery.
idiom
to be badly beaten (physically or in a conflict)to suffer a crushing defeat
Examples
- 头破血流。Liǎng duì wèi le guàn jūn zhēng dé tóu pò xiě.The two teams fought fiercely for the championship.
- 头破血流。Tā zài nà chǎng biàn lùn zhōng bèi duì shǒu bó dé tóu pò xiě.He was refuted so badly in that debate that it felt like a crushing defeat.
- 头破血流。Fàn zuì fèn zǐ bèi jǐng chá dǎ dé tóu pò xiě.The criminal was beaten to a pulp by the police.
Appears in
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