电光石火
diàn guāng shí huǒ
as quick as a flash; over in an instant
Character by character
电diàn
lightning
lightning
光guāng
flash
flash
石shí
flint
flint
火huǒ
spark
spark
Example
对方起脚射门，电光石火之间，守门员已经飞身扑出，把球挡了出去。
The striker shot, and in a split second the goalkeeper had flung himself across and pushed the ball away.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
First a Buddhist image: the lightning flash and the spark struck from flint stand for things that vanish in an instant. Today it is mostly 电光石火之间 or 电光石火般, “in a split second”, in sports reports and action writing.
Learn this in Lesson 177 · HSK 7–9: 一度电的旅程 (The journey of a kilowatt-hour)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →