落荒而逃 (luò huāng ér táo) — to flee the scene in defeat or panic, to take flight

Definition

An idiom for fleeing in panic and defeat, usually from a losing battle or confrontation. The '荒' (wilderness) image makes it more vivid and literary than plain 逃跑.

idiom
to flee the scene in defeat or panic, to take flight

Examples

  • 落荒而逃。
    Dí rén bèi dǎ bài hòu luò huāng ér táo le.
    The enemy was defeated and fled in panic.
  • ，落荒而逃。
    Tā zài biàn lùn zhōng lǐ qū cí qióng, zhǐ hǎo luò huāng ér táo.
    With no argument left in the debate, he had to beat a retreat.
  • ，落荒而逃。
    Nà xiē wú liáng shāng jiā jiàn jiǎn chá rén yuán lái le, lì kè luò huāng ér táo.
    Those unscrupulous merchants immediately fled in panic when the inspectors arrived.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss, plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
巟
巟huāng荒huāng
Same sound today

荒 is built from 艹 (grass, plant) and 巟, with 巟 giving the sound huāng.

Open 荒 →

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

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
兆
兆zhào逃táo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

逃 pairs 辶 (walk) with 兆, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 逃 →

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