灰飞烟灭
huī fēi yān miè
to vanish like smoke; to be wiped out completely
Character by character
灰huī
ash
ash
飞fēi
fly
fly
烟yān
smoke
smoke
灭miè
vanish
vanish
Example
一场大火过后，这座几百年的古寺灰飞烟灭，只剩下一片废墟。
After the fire, the centuries-old temple had vanished in smoke and ash; only ruins were left.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
An old Buddhist image of burnt-out firewood, made famous by 苏轼’s ci 念奴娇·赤壁怀古, on 周瑜 at the Battle of Red Cliffs: amid talk and laughter, the enemy fleet 灰飞烟灭. Said of armies, empires, buildings, fortunes or hopes destroyed without trace: 转眼间灰飞烟灭, 早已灰飞烟灭.
Learn this in Lesson 165 · HSK 7–9: 辽西的带毛恐龙 (The feathered dinosaurs of Liaoning)
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.
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