📖 Meaning
To be utterly resolved and unwavering in one's decision, with no intention of ever changing course. It describes someone who has made up their mind completely and will not be swayed by any persuasion or circumstance. It is a variant of the more common form 死心塌地.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom is a variant writing of 死心塌地, which appears in classical vernacular fiction of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The expression likens a person's determination to something heavy laid flat on the ground — immovable and settled. It was frequently used in novels such as Water Margin and Journey to the West to depict characters who had given up all hesitation or second thoughts. Over time, 死心搭地 emerged as an alternate orthography in some regional texts and editions.
💡 Example Usage
他既然死心搭地要走，谁也拦不住他。
Since he has made up his mind to leave, no one can stop him.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 死心搭地
- Pinyin: sǐ xīn dā dì
- Literal Translation: dead heart, placed on ground
- Category: Determination
- Characters: 4