# 势如破竹

shì rú pò zhú

Advance with overwhelming ease and momentum

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Momentum like splitting bamboo

**Traditional Chinese:** 勢如破竹

**Register:** Emphatic · conversational

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Use for rapid, powerful progress that meets little effective resistance.

It emphasizes momentum; it does not necessarily mean the task was easy from the start.

## Understanding the expression

Once bamboo begins to split along its fibers, the division can continue readily. The image describes progress in which an initial opening leads to strong momentum. It fits military accounts, competitions, and successful campaigns or projects. The phrase is more forceful than steady improvement. It usually suggests that obstacles are being overcome in quick succession rather than carefully resolved one at a time.

## Examples

球队连赢五场，势如破竹地进入决赛。

### Traditional Chinese

球隊連贏五場，勢如破竹地進入決賽。

qiú duì lián yíng wǔ chǎng ， shì rú pò zhú dì jìn rù jué sài 。

The team won five matches in a row and swept into the final.

解决核心问题后，项目势如破竹地推进。

### Traditional Chinese

解決核心問題後，項目勢如破竹地推進。

jiě jué hé xīn wèn tí hòu ， xiàng mù shì rú pò zhú dì tuī jìn 。

After solving the central problem, the project advanced with rapid momentum.

她在比赛中势如破竹，连续击败强手。

### Traditional Chinese

她在比賽中勢如破竹，連續擊敗強手。

tā zài bǐ sài zhōng shì rú pò zhú ， lián xù jī bài qiáng shǒu 。

She swept through the competition, beating strong opponents in succession.

宣传活动一开始便势如破竹，很快吸引了大量报名者。

### Traditional Chinese

宣傳活動一開始便勢如破竹，很快吸引了大量報名者。

xuān chuán huó dòng yì kāi shǐ biàn shì rú pò zhú ， hěn kuài xī yǐn le dà liàng bào míng zhě 。

The campaign gained powerful momentum immediately and quickly attracted many applicants.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%8B%A2%E5%A6%82%E7%A0%B4%E7%AB%B9)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=24&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [事在人为 shì zài rén wéi People's effort can shape the outcome ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/shi-zai-ren-wei)

- [手不释卷 shǒu bù shì juàn Always have a book in hand ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/shou-bu-shi-juan)

- [手忙脚乱 shǒu máng jiǎo luàn Become flustered and disorganized ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/shou-mang-jiao-luan)

- [守株待兔 shǒu zhū dài tù Waiting for luck instead of taking action ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/shou-zhu-dai-tu)

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