快刀斩乱麻

Traditional: 快刀斬亂麻

kuài dāo zhǎn luàn má

Dictionary entry

lit. quick sword cuts through tangled hemp (idiom); decisive action in a complex situation

What does 快刀斩乱麻 mean?

快刀斩乱麻 (kuài dāo zhǎn luàn má) has the following dictionary meaning.

1lit. quick sword cuts through tangled hemp (idiom); decisive action in a complex situation

2cutting the Gordian knot

Character breakdown

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快kuàirapid · quick 刀Dāosurname Dao 斩zhǎnto behead (as form of capital punishment) · to chop 乱luànin confusion or disorder · in a confused state of mind 麻máhemp (variant of 麻[ma2])

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How to pronounce 快刀斩乱麻

快刀斩乱麻

kuài dāo zhǎn luàn má

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Base dictionary data: CC-CEDICT · CC BY-SA 4.0.