📖 Meaning
A classical Chinese idiom referring to an ancient acrobatic performance of sword swallowing and fire breathing. By extension, it broadly denotes magic tricks, illusion acts, and variety-show feats in traditional Chinese entertainment.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom first appears in the 'Western Capital Rhapsody' (西京赋) by Zhang Heng of the Eastern Han Dynasty, describing street performers in Chang'an who swallowed knives and breathed fire amid swirling clouds and mist. It is also recorded in the 'Book of Jin' (晋书) in the biography of Xia Tong, where performers Dan and Zhu are described performing the feat. These acts were a staple of ancient Chinese variety theatre and popular entertainment.
💡 Example Usage
街头的艺人表演吞刀吐火，引来阵阵喝彩。
The street performer swallowed knives and breathed fire, drawing rounds of applause from the crowd.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 吞刀吐火
- Pinyin: tūn dāo tǔ huǒ
- Literal Translation: swallow, knife, spit, fire
- Category: Skill
- Characters: 4