📖 Meaning
To command and drive clouds and mist. Metaphorically, it means being adept at grasping military opportunities and mastering the art of war. It is used to praise a commander's strategic brilliance and battlefield prowess.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom comes from the Yuan dynasty anonymous play 'Lianhuan Ji' (《连环记》), Act One, in the line: 'This was all thanks to Zhang Zifang's mouth that could discourse on heaven and earth, and Marshal Han's hand that could grasp clouds and mist.' Zhang Zifang refers to Zhang Liang, the celebrated strategist of the early Han dynasty, while Marshal Han refers to Han Xin, the renowned founding general of the Han dynasty. The imagery of grasping clouds and mist vividly depicts Han Xin's supreme mastery of military strategy and his ability to seize the moment of battle.
💡 Example Usage
他自幼熟读兵书，练就握雾拏云之手，终于成为一代名将。
From his youth he studied military texts deeply and developed a hand that could grasp clouds and mist, eventually becoming a renowned general of his era.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 握雾拏云
- Pinyin: wò wù ná yún
- Literal Translation: grasp fog, seize clouds
- Category: Skill
- Characters: 4