📖 Meaning
When one person calls out, a hundred people respond. It describes someone who is wealthy and powerful with many servants or followers at their command. The idiom conveys the imposing presence and authority of a person in a high position.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Han Dynasty text 'Han Shi Wai Zhuan' (韩诗外传) by Han Ying, which states that when one is pleased, having one call answered by repeated agreements is the behavior of a subordinate. Over time, the phrase evolved to describe the grand scene of a powerful figure surrounded by numerous attendants who respond to every command. It vividly depicts the lifestyle and authority of the rich and influential in ancient China.
💡 Example Usage
罗公独坐当中，一呼百诺，掌着生杀之权。
Master Luo sat alone in the center, where one call brought a hundred responses, holding the power of life and death in his hands.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一呼百诺
- Pinyin: yī hū bǎi nuò
- Literal Translation: one, call, hundred, answer
- Category: Power
- Characters: 4