魔高一丈 (mó gāo yī zhàng) — the evil is one zhang higher (than the good); the opposing force is much stronger than expected

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'the opposing evil force is one zhang taller' — i.e. the adversary is stronger than you expect, so never underestimate it. Pairs with 道高一尺 (the dào / good is only one chi taller), the older half of the saying.

idiom
the evil is one zhang higher (than the good)the opposing force is much stronger than expected

Examples

  • ，魔高一丈，。
    Wǒ men yào xiǎo xīn, mó gāo yī zhàng, duì shǒu bǐ wǒ men xiǎng xiàng de qiáng dà.
    We must be careful — the opposing force is much stronger than we imagined.
  • ，魔高一丈，。
    Suī rán wǒ men jìn bù hěn kuài, dàn mó gāo yī zhàng, kùn nan zǒng shì gèng duō.
    Although we are making fast progress, the obstacles always seem to grow even faster.
  • ，魔高一丈，。
    Bié gāo xìng tài zǎo, mó gāo yī zhàng, hòu miàn hái yǒu gèng dà de tiǎo zhàn.
    Don't celebrate too early — the evil is one zhang higher; there are even bigger challenges ahead.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
鬼鬼guǐdemon
Sound part声符shēngfú
麻
麻má魔mó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

魔 pairs 鬼, meaning demon, with 麻, which gives the sound.

Open 魔 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

高 was drawn as a tall building.

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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.

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Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

丈 is made from 十 (ten) and 又 (hand), and it is explained as a length of ten chi.

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