一飞冲天
yī fēi chōng tiān
to soar to the sky in one flight; to achieve sudden great success
Character by character
一yī
once
once
飞fēi
flies
flies
冲chōng
soars
soars
天tiān
sky
sky
Example
这家小公司凭借一款游戏一飞冲天，几个月就成了行业里的明星。
This small company shot to the top with a single game and became the star of its industry within months.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From the same 《史记》 story as 不鸣则已，一鸣惊人 (lesson 3-17): 齐威王 said of the great bird, 不飞则已，一飞冲天. Said of sudden success after a quiet start; in the news also literally of rockets: 火箭点火升空，一飞冲天.
Learn this in Lesson 74 · HSK 6: 从神舟到嫦娥 (China in space)
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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