idiom (chengyu) HSK 6
to succeed at one stroke · to accomplish something in one go · to achieve instantly
Meaning
This chengyu describes accomplishing something quickly or easily in a single step, often used negatively to indicate that certain goals cannot be achieved overnight. It emphasizes the unrealistic expectation of immediate success without sustained effort.
Usage
Most commonly used in negative constructions like 不能一蹴而就 to warn against expecting instant results. Frequently appears in formal writing, speeches about education, career development, or social reform. Native speakers use it to temper unrealistic expectations.
Examples
- 01学好一门外语不能一蹴而就，需要长期坚持和积累。, .Learning a foreign language well cannot be achieved overnight; it requires long-term persistence and accumulation.
- 02改革是一个渐进的过程，不可能一蹴而就。, .Reform is a gradual process and cannot be accomplished in one step.
Characters
Common collocations
- 不能一蹴而就cannot be achieved overnight
- 并非一蹴而就is not accomplished instantly
- 难以一蹴而就difficult to achieve in one step
Antonyms
Origin
The character 蹴 originally meant to step or tread. The idiom literally means to accomplish something with one step, conveying the idea of immediate achievement without intermediate effort.