📖 Meaning
Something happens suddenly and unexpectedly, without any warning or preparation. It describes an event or situation that catches people completely off guard, like a bolt from the blue.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom traces back to the ancient Chinese philosophical text "Liji" (Book of Rites, 礼记), compiled during the Western Han dynasty (206 BC–9 AD), specifically in the chapter "Tan Gong" (檀弓). It originally described death arriving without forewarning, emphasizing that life's most momentous events can strike at any time. The passage reads: "出乎尔者，反乎尔者也; 如此者，突如其来如，焚如，死如，弃如."
💡 Example Usage
这场暴雨突如其来，让街上的人纷纷四处躲避。
The rainstorm came out of nowhere, sending people on the street scurrying for cover.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 突如其来
- Pinyin: tū rú qí lái
- Literal Translation: burst, like, it, comes
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4