📖 Meaning
Describes something so solid and strong that it absolutely cannot be broken, crushed, or destroyed. It is used both literally for physical fortifications and metaphorically for an unshakable will, belief, or alliance.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom appears in early historical and military texts describing impenetrable defenses. A notable classical usage is found in accounts of the Six Dynasties period, where historians described the formidable defenses of key cities and fortresses that withstood prolonged sieges. The phrase crystallized from common military language of the time into a fixed four-character idiom used to convey absolute invincibility, whether of walls, armies, or resolve.
💡 Example Usage
这支军队纪律严明、团结一致，形成了一道坚不可摧的钢铁防线。
This army, with its strict discipline and unity, formed an indestructible line of steel.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 坚不可摧
- Pinyin: jiān bù kě cuī
- Literal Translation: firm, not, can, destroyed
- Category: Power
- Characters: 4