CHENGYU
神机妙算(shén jī miào suàn)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- formal, approving
- Source:
- 《后汉书·王涣传》
MEANING
- Literal
- godlike schemes and wonderful calculations
- Figurative meaning
- brilliant strategy that anticipates everything
ORIGIN STORY
From the Later Han History, praising an official whose clever calculations exposed hidden crimes — "his calculations were like those of a spirit". The phrase later became the signature praise of the strategist Zhuge Liang.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“a master stroke”
EXAMPLES
诸葛亮的空城计真是神机妙算。Zhūgě Liàng de kōngchéngjì zhēn shì shén jī miào suàn.HSK6
Zhuge Liang's empty-city ruse was godlike calculation indeed.
这盘棋他神机妙算，几步就赢了。Zhè pán qí tā shén jī miào suàn, jǐ bù jiù yíng le.HSK6
His play this game was divine — victory in a few moves.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: It is the highest praise of strategy — save it for plans that truly anticipate everything.
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01