长驱直入 (cháng qū zhí rù) — (idiom) to advance unimpeded; to drive straight in (originally military, now also figurative)

Definition

A chengyu from military language: to drive forward without resistance into enemy territory. Now used figuratively for a forceful, unchecked advance (in business, negotiations, etc.).

idiom
to advance unimpededto drive straight in (originally military, now also figurative)

Examples

  • 长驱直入，。
    Dí jūn cháng qū zhí rù, hěn kuài jiù zhàn lǐng le chéng shì.
    The enemy army drove straight in and quickly occupied the city.
  • 长驱直入。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī píng jiè yōu zhì chǎn pǐn cháng qū zhí rù hǎi wài shì chǎng.
    This company, relying on quality products, drove straight into overseas markets.
  • 长驱直入，。
    Tán pàn zhōng tā cháng qū zhí rù, zhí jiē tí chū le hé xīn yāo qiú.
    During the negotiations, he drove straight in and directly raised the core demands.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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 驅; 驱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
區
區qū驅qū
Same sound today

The traditional form 驅 pairs 馬 (horse) with 區 as a sound part; simplified 驱 is a later shorthand.

Open 驱 →

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

The earliest form of 直 pairs 目, an eye, with an unclear stroke 丨.

Open 直 →

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

入 is drawn as an arrowhead, indicating 'to enter'.

Open 入 →

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