Definition
神出鬼没 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) that literally means 'gods appear, ghosts vanish'. It describes someone or something that appears and disappears suddenly and unpredictably, like a shadow. You can use it to talk about elusive movements, mysterious behavior, or anything that is hard to track or anticipate.
idiom
to appear and disappear mysteriouslyelusiveunpredictablestealthy
Examples
- 神出鬼没，。Nàge xiǎotōu shén chū guǐ mò, jǐngchá hěn nán zhuā dào tā.That thief appears and disappears mysteriously, making it hard for the police to catch him.
- 神出鬼没，。Tā zài zhànchǎng shàng shén chū guǐ mò, dírén gēnběn zhǎo bú dào tā de wèizhì.He moves like a shadow on the battlefield; the enemy can't find his position at all.
- 神出鬼没，。Zhè wèi zuòjiā de xíngzōng shén chū guǐ mò, hěn shǎo yǒu rén zhīdào tā zài nǎlǐ.This writer's whereabouts are mysterious; very few people know where he is.
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