📖 Meaning
Not a single tile is left. It describes a situation where houses or buildings have been completely destroyed, leaving nothing behind. It is equivalent to the idiom 片瓦无存.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Ming dynasty collection Stories to Awaken the World (喻世明言) by Feng Menglong, the first chapter. In the story, an old woman surnamed Jiang was beaten so severely that her home was completely destroyed—'not a single tile left.' Unable to settle anywhere, she eventually moved to a neighboring county. The phrase vividly conveys total devastation of a dwelling.
💡 Example Usage
一场大火烧过之后，整条街片瓦不留。
After the great fire swept through, not a single tile remained on the entire street.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 片瓦不留
- Pinyin: piàn wǎ bù liú
- Literal Translation: piece, tile, not, remain
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4