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旗开得胜

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: qí kāi dé shèng
  • English Translation: To win victory as soon as the flag is unfurled (to get off to a flying start)
  • Idiom Composition: 「旗」(A military flag or banner)+「开」(To unfurl or deploy (the flag) to begin a battle)+「得」(To obtain or achieve)+「胜」(Victory)
  • Meaning: Literally meaning to win a battle the moment the military flags are deployed. Figuratively, it refers to achieving immediate success or getting a favorable result right at the beginning of an undertaking.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「旗开得胜」 contains the following nuances:

  • Victory in the Initial Stage: Rather than focusing on the entire process, this idiom specifically highlights success in the 'first step' or 'opening round' of an endeavor.
  • Swift and Smooth Success: Because the 'unfurling of the flag' (the start) is immediately followed by 'victory,' the idiom implies that the success was achieved quickly and smoothly without a long, grueling struggle.

3. Usage

「旗开得胜」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Sports and Competitions: Used when a team wins the first game of a season or the opening match of a tournament. Frequently seen in news headlines.
    • Example:「中国女排在世界杯首场比赛中旗开得胜,以3比0击败对手。」
      (The Chinese women's volleyball team got off to a flying start in their first World Cup match, defeating their opponent 3-0.)
  • Business and Projects: Used to celebrate when a new business venture or product launch yields better-than-expected results immediately.
    • Example:「我们的新产品刚上市就旗开得胜,第一天的销量突破了万台。」
      (Our new product achieved immediate success upon launch, with sales exceeding 10,000 units on the first day.)
  • Encouragement and Well-wishing: Used to wish someone success before they start an exam, a negotiation, or a match.
    • Example:「祝你们明天的谈判旗开得胜,顺利签下合同!」
      (I wish you the best of luck and a successful start in tomorrow's negotiations; may you sign the contract smoothly!)

Additional Examples:

  1. 这支年轻的队伍在奥运会上旗开得胜,极大地鼓舞了士气。
    (This young team won their opening match at the Olympics, which greatly boosted their morale.)
  2. 为了讨个好彩头,大家都希望开业第一天能旗开得胜。
    (For good luck, everyone hopes the business can get off to a winning start on its opening day.)
  3. 虽然我们旗开得胜,但后面的比赛依然不能掉以轻心。
    (Although we won the first battle, we still cannot afford to be careless in the upcoming matches.)
  4. 他在股市投资上旗开得胜,第一次买股票就赚了不少。
    (He had a stroke of beginner's luck in the stock market, making a significant profit on the very first stock he bought.)

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The phrase appears in Yuan Dynasty dramas such as the play Shooting the Willow and Hitting the Ball (射柳捶丸). It has been used since ancient times to celebrate military triumphs.
  • It is frequently used in the set phrase 旗开得胜,马到成功 (qí kāi dé shèng, mǎ dào chéng gōng), where the latter means 'success the moment the horse arrives.' Both are auspicious expressions for rapid victory.
  • In modern usage, the term has shifted from military contexts to celebrate the 'first step' in sports, business, and even competitive entrance exams.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

旗开得胜 (qí kāi dé shèng) is a highly positive idiom used to describe an immediate win or success at the start of an event. It is commonly used in sports to describe winning an opening match, or in business for a successful launch. It is often paired with 马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) to wish someone swift and total success.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 1

Idiom Essay

qí kāi dé shèng
旗开得胜
Success from the Very Start
zài在zuò做yī jiàn一件zhòng yào重要de的dà shì大事zhī qián之前,wǒ men我们xīn lǐ心里wǎng wǎng往往shì是tǎn tè bù ān忐忑不安de的。

Before undertaking a major task, we often feel uneasy and anxious.

bù guǎn不管zhǔn bèi准备dé得duō me多么chōng fèn充分,zhǐ yào只要dì yī bù第一步hái还méi没mài chū迈出qù去,xīn lǐ心里jiù就zǒng总xuán悬zhe着yī kuài一块shí tou石头。

No matter how well-prepared we are, as long as the first step hasn't been taken, a weight remains on our hearts.

wǒ men我们hài pà害怕yì wài意外,hài pà害怕shī wù失误,gèng更hài pà害怕yī一kāi shǐ开始jiù就bù不shùn lì顺利,dǎ jī打击le了hòu miàn后面de的xìn xīn信心。

We fear accidents, mistakes, and especially a rough start that might dampen our confidence for what follows.

suǒ yǐ所以,dāng当dì yī cháng第一场bǐ sài比赛yíng赢le了,huò zhě或者dì yí gè第一个xiàng mù项目shùn lì顺利wán chéng完成le了,nà zhǒng那种sōng松le了yì kǒu qì一口气、xìn xīn信心tū rán突然yǒng涌shàng lái上来de的gǎn jué感觉,shì是fēi cháng非常tè bié特别de的。

So, when the first match is won or the first project is completed smoothly, that feeling of relief and sudden surge of confidence is very special.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里,yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种“kāi jú开局shùn lì顺利”de的xǐ yuè喜悦,jiào叫“qí kāi dé shèng旗开得胜”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this joy of a smooth start, called 旗开得胜.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn gǎn画面感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase has a very strong sense of imagery.

“qí旗”,jiù shì就是jūn qí军旗;“kāi开”,shì是zhǎn kāi展开。

旗 means a military flag, and 开 means to unfurl.

gǔ shí hòu古时候dǎ zhàng打仗,liǎng jūn两军duì lěi对垒,zhàn qí战旗yī huī一挥,gāng gāng刚刚zhǎn kāi展开,zhàn dòu战斗jiù就shèng lì胜利le了。

In ancient warfare, when two armies faced off, the battle was won as soon as the war flags were unfurled.

nǐ你kě yǐ可以xiǎng xiàng想象nà zhǒng那种qì shì气势:bù不xū yào需要màn cháng漫长de的kǔ zhàn苦战,yě也bù不xū yào需要fǎn fù反复de的lā jù拉锯,yī chū shǒu一出手jiù就yíng赢le了。

You can imagine the momentum: no need for a long, bitter struggle or a back-and-forth tug-of-war; victory is achieved the moment you strike.

zài在xiàn dài现代shēng huó生活zhōng中,wǒ men我们dāng rán当然bù zài不再dài bīng带兵dǎ zhàng打仗,dàn但wǒ men我们yī rán依然xū yào需要“qí kāi dé shèng旗开得胜”。

In modern life, we no longer lead troops into battle, but we still need 旗开得胜.

shén me shí hòu什么时候huì会yòng用dào到tā它ne呢?

When do we use it?

tōng cháng通常shì是zài在yí gè一个cháng qī长期de的rèn wù任务gāng gāng刚刚kāi shǐ开始de的shí hòu时候。

Usually at the very beginning of a long-term task.

bǐ rú比如,yī zhī一支zú qiú duì足球队cān jiā参加shì jiè bēi世界杯,dì yī cháng第一场bǐ sài比赛jiù就yíng赢le了,dà jiā大家huì会shuō说zhè这shì是“qí kāi dé shèng旗开得胜”。

For example, if a football team wins its first match in the World Cup, people will say it is 旗开得胜.

zhè这bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是yīn wèi因为yíng赢le了yī cháng一场qiú球,gèng shì更是yīn wèi因为zhè这chǎng场shèng lì胜利gěi给hòu miàn后面de的bǐ sài比赛dài lái带来le了hǎo好zhào tou兆头。

This is not just because they won a game, but because this victory serves as a good omen for the matches to come.

yòu又bǐ rú比如,yī jiā一家xīn新gōng sī公司kāi yè开业de的dì yī tiān第一天,shēng yì生意jiù就tè bié特别hǎo好;huò zhě或者nǐ你gāng刚kāi shǐ开始xué xí学习yī xiàng一项xīn新jì néng技能,dì yī cì第一次kǎo shì考试jiù就ná拿le了mǎn fēn满分。

Or, for instance, if a new company has excellent business on its opening day, or if you get a perfect score on your first exam when learning a new skill.

zhè xiē这些shí kè时刻,dōu都zhí de值得yòng用“qí kāi dé shèng旗开得胜”lái来qìng zhù庆祝。

These moments are all worth celebrating with 旗开得胜.

bù guò不过,zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语zuì最cháng yòng常用de的chǎng jǐng场景,qí shí其实shì是zài在shì qíng事情fā shēng发生zhī qián之前——zuò wéi作为yī zhǒng一种zhù fú祝福。

However, the most common scenario for this idiom is actually before something happens—as a blessing.

dāng当nǐ你de的péng yǒu朋友yào要qù去cān jiā参加yī cháng一场zhòng yào重要de的kǎo shì考试,huò zhě或者yào要qù去tán谈yī bǐ一笔dà大shēng yì生意shí时,nǐ你kě yǐ可以duì对tā他shuō说:“zhù祝nǐ你qí kāi dé shèng旗开得胜!”

When a friend is about to take an important exam or negotiate a big deal, you can say to them: "I wish you 旗开得胜!"

zhè这jù句huà话bǐ比jiǎn dān简单de的“zhù祝nǐ你chéng gōng成功”duō多le了yī céng一层hán yì含义。

This phrase carries a deeper meaning than a simple "I wish you success."

tā它shì是zài在zhù fú祝福duì fāng对方:xī wàng希望nǐ你cóng从yī kāi shǐ一开始jiù就shùn shùn lì lì顺顺利利,xī wàng希望nà ge那个hǎo好de的kāi tóu开头,néng能gěi给nǐ你dài lái带来yuán yuán bù duàn源源不断de的xìn xīn信心。

It is a blessing for the other person: hoping everything goes smoothly from the start and that a good beginning brings a steady stream of confidence.

bì jìng毕竟,wàn shì kāi tóu nán万事开头难。

After all, the first step is always the hardest.

néng能yǒu有yí gè一个“qí kāi dé shèng旗开得胜”de的kāi shǐ开始,hòu miàn后面de的lù路,zǒu走qǐ lái起来yě也huì会jué de觉得qīng kuài轻快xǔ duō许多。

With a 旗开得胜 start, the road ahead will feel much lighter and easier to walk.

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