📖 Meaning
To smash an egg with a grindstone. This idiom describes an overwhelming force pitted against a fragile opponent, where victory is absolutely certain. It is a classic military metaphor for attacking the weak with concentrated strength.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' (《孙子·势篇》), written during the Spring and Autumn period (c. 5th century BCE). The original passage reads: 'When troops are deployed, it should be like hurling a grindstone against an egg — this is the principle of substance and void.' Sun Tzu used this vivid image to illustrate how a commander should apply decisive force precisely where the enemy is most vulnerable. The idiom has since entered the broader Chinese lexicon as a metaphor for any contest where the outcome is a foregone conclusion.
💡 Example Usage
我军以磛投卵之势，一举攻破敌阵。
Our army attacked with the irresistible force of a grindstone smashing an egg, breaking through the enemy lines in a single strike.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 以磛投卵
- Pinyin: yǐ duàn tóu luǎn
- Literal Translation: with, whetstone, hurl, egg
- Category: Power
- Characters: 4