📖 Meaning
Describes someone or something extraordinarily outstanding, with no equal during a particular period. It conveys a level of excellence that sets the subject completely apart from all contemporaries. Often used to praise unparalleled achievement in art, literature, or skill.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the 'Xuanhe Painting Manual' (宣和画谱), a Song dynasty catalogue of the imperial painting collection. In the entry for Guo Xi, a renowned Northern Song landscape painter, critics declared that he 'walked alone in his time' (独步一时), meaning his artistry was unmatched. The text notes that even as he aged, his brushwork grew ever more vigorous. The expression has since been generalized to describe anyone who dominates their field within an era.
💡 Example Usage
这位画家在山水画领域独步一时，无人能及。
This painter reigned supreme in the realm of landscape painting, with no one able to rival him.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 独步一时
- Pinyin: dú bù yī shí
- Literal Translation: alone, walk, one, time
- Category: Skill
- Characters: 4