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HSK 4 Chinese reading practice

一鸣惊人

yì míng jīng rén

A Single Cry That Amazed the World

A witty riddle awakens a neglectful king, whose sudden action restores the strength of Qi.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 4
READ4 min
HANZI337
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Which version gives us 一鸣惊人?

This retelling follows the King Wei of Qi and Chunyu Kun account in Records of the Grand Historian, where the exact phrase 一鸣惊人 appears. A related story about King Zhuang of Chu uses the image of a bird that does not fly or cry out for three years.

Key vocabulary9 words from this story
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Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01淳于髡用什么来劝齐威王？
02齐威王听懂以后做了什么？
03邻国最后怎样做？
0 / 3questions answered
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 一鸣惊人

What does 一鸣惊人 mean in English?

一鸣惊人 (yì míng jīng rén) literally means “one cry astonishes everyone.” It describes to produce an outstanding and surprising achievement after attracting little attention.

When is 一鸣惊人 used?

Use 一鸣惊人 (yì míng jīng rén) when someone who was previously quiet or unknown suddenly achieves a remarkable result. For example: The young runner entered her first national race and won it—真正是一鸣惊人.

What is the pinyin for 一鸣惊人?

The pinyin pronunciation for 一鸣惊人 is “yì míng jīng rén.”