📖 Meaning
Describes an army with no will to fight that flees at the mere sight of the enemy's dust cloud. It is a metaphor for cowardice and immediate collapse in the face of any threat, sharing the same meaning as 望尘奔溃.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom depicts a scene of total military rout in which soldiers take flight the instant they see the dust raised by an approaching enemy force. The character 北 (běi) here does not mean the cardinal direction 'north' but is an archaic term for 'defeat' or 'rout,' cognate with 败北. The phrase is synonymous with 望尘奔溃. No specific classical source is recorded for this expression.
💡 Example Usage
敌军刚一出现，守军便望尘奔北，溃不成军。
The moment the enemy appeared, the defending troops fled in panic at the sight of their dust, completely routed.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 望尘奔北
- Pinyin: wàng chén bēn běi
- Literal Translation: see dust, flee in defeat
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4