📖 Meaning
Describes artillery fire that is extremely fierce and widespread, filling the entire sky. It portrays an intense bombardment or chaotic battlefield scene. The idiom conveys the overwhelming scale and destructiveness of combat.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from 'Journey to the West' (西游记), Chapter 89, written by Wu Cheng'en during the Ming Dynasty. In the passage, the father and son along with the monk Tang Seng stand on the city wall tower inspecting troops, with banners blocking the sun and cannon fire filling the sky. The vivid imagery depicts a grand military spectacle of war.
💡 Example Usage
战场上炮火连天，士兵们奋勇冲锋。
Artillery fire filled the sky over the battlefield as the soldiers charged forward bravely.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 炮火连天
- Pinyin: pào huǒ lián tiān
- Literal Translation: cannon, fire, connect, sky
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4