一气之下 (yī qì zhī xià) — in a fit of anger; in a fury (followed by an impulsive action or decision)

Definition

An idiom meaning 'in a fit of anger / in a fury,' almost always followed by an impulsive action or rash decision. Sets up the consequence — what the angry person did next — rather than describing the anger itself.

idiom
in a fit of angerin a fury (followed by an impulsive action or decision)

Examples

  • 一气之下。
    Tā yī qì zhī xià bǎ shǒu jī shuāi le.
    He smashed his phone in a fit of anger.
  • 一气之下。
    Lǎo bǎn yī qì zhī xià kāi chú le nà ge yuán gōng.
    The boss fired that employee in a fury.
  • 一气之下，。
    Tā yī qì zhī xià lí kāi le jiā, qù le wài dì.
    She left home in a fit of anger and went to another city.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

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