Chinese Idiom: 百发百中 (Bai Fa Bai Zhong)
English Translation: A hundred shots, a hundred hits
pīn yīn: bǎi fā bǎi zhòng
Idiom Meaning: This idiom refers to someone who is exceptionally skilled in shooting or marksmanship, able to hit their target every time.
Historical Source: 史记·周本纪》 (Records of the Grand Historian · Annals of Zhou).
Idiom Story:
In the state of Chu, there was an exceptionally skilled archer named Yang Youji (养由基). His archery was so precise that wherever he aimed, he hit his target without fail.
One year, during the conflict between the states, Duke Li of Jin launched an attack on the state of Zheng, prompting King Gong of Chu to send troops to assist Zheng. In the ensuing battle at Yanling, a general from Jin named Wei Qi managed to shoot and injure King Gong in the eye.
In response, King Gong handed two arrows to Yang Youji, instructing him to take revenge on Wei Qi. Yang Youji nocked an arrow, aimed carefully, and shot Wei Qi dead with one precise shot.
As a result, Yang Youji became even more renowned in the state of Chu, attracting many archery enthusiasts who sought his expertise.
During one archery competition, he showcased his remarkable skill by shooting at a target—a willow leaf—placed a hundred paces away. He aimed at the leaf, which was only three to four inches wide, and remarkably, he hit it every time, achieving “a hundred shots, a hundred hits.”
This incredible feat led people to simplify the phrase “百发而百中之” (a hundred shots, a hundred hits) into the idiom “百发百中” to express the idea of perfect accuracy and skill in archery.
