📖 Meaning
Describes someone of extraordinary bravery and strength, so formidable that ten thousand men together could not stand against them. It is synonymous with 万夫不当之勇, praising a person's unmatched valor and fighting prowess.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in Chapter 73 of Dong Zhou Lie Guo Zhi (《东周列国志》), a historical novel of the Ming dynasty traditionally attributed to Feng Menglong, which retells the events of the Spring and Autumn period. In that passage the speaker praises Qingji, a prince of the state of Wu, saying that his bones and sinews were like iron and that ten thousand men could not withstand him. The remark underscores Qingji's legendary strength and courage in the story surrounding the struggle for the Wu throne.
💡 Example Usage
将军临阵冲锋，气势万夫莫当。
When the general charged into battle, his momentum was such that ten thousand men could not withstand him.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 万夫莫当
- Pinyin: wàn fū mò dāng
- Literal Translation: ten thousand, men, cannot, withstand
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4