一炮而红
yī pào ér hóng
to become an instant hit; to shoot to fame overnight
Character by character
一yī
one
one
炮pào
blast
blast
而ér
and
and
红hóng
red
red
Example
她的第一首歌就一炮而红，成了全国知名的歌手。
Her very first song was an instant hit, and she became a singer known all over the country.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
A single blast of the firecracker or cannon (炮) and you are “red”, popular. Said of a performer, a book, a product or a place that succeeds at its first try: 凭借…一炮而红. Close to 一炮打响; compare 一夜成名 (lesson 3-22), which stresses the speed rather than the first attempt.
Learn this in Lesson 137 · HSK 7–9: 淄博烧烤 (The Zibo barbecue craze)
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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