léilìfēngxíng: 雷厉风行 - Decisive and Vigorous; Swift and Resolute

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• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese idiom (chengyu) 雷厉风行 (léilìfēngxíng), which vividly describes a style of action that is swift, decisive, and powerful. Literally meaning “thunder-severe, wind-move,” this term is essential for understanding Chinese workplace culture and is often used to praise effective leaders who get things done with unstoppable force and speed. This guide will break down its characters, cultural meaning, and practical usage with 10 example sentences.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): léi lì fēng xíng
• Part of Speech: Idiom (成语, chéngyǔ); can function as an adjective or adverb.
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To carry out tasks with the force of thunder and the speed of wind; to be swift, resolute, and vigorous.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a powerful storm. A sudden crack of thunder demands attention, and a gust of wind sweeps through instantly. That's the feeling of `雷厉风行`. It describes a person or an action that is not just fast, but also forceful, decisive, and unstoppable. It’s the opposite of hesitating or procrastinating. This is a highly valued trait in leaders and managers in Chinese culture.

• 雷 (léi): Thunder. This character evokes a sense of power, authority, and an unmissable, impactful start.
• 厉 (lì): Severe, strict, sharp. This adds the nuance of rigor and seriousness. The action isn't just powerful, it's carried out with strict discipline.
• 风 (fēng): Wind. This character represents speed, swiftness, and the ability to move quickly and cover a lot of ground.
• 行 (xíng): To go, to act, to carry out. This is the “action” part of the idiom, referring to the execution of a plan or command.

Combined, `雷厉` (thunder-severe) describes the *manner* of the action—forceful and strict—while `风行` (wind-move) describes its *speed* and *efficiency*. The whole idiom paints a picture of someone executing a plan with powerful, disciplined speed.

`雷厉风行` is more than just a descriptor; it reflects a deep-seated cultural value in Chinese society, particularly in governance and business: the importance of effective, powerful execution. Historically, a decisive and swift emperor or general was seen as competent and strong. In modern China, this has translated directly into the business world. A manager who is `雷厉风行` is seen as a capable leader who can drive results and cut through bureaucracy.

• Comparison to Western Concepts: This idiom is similar to the English idea of being a “go-getter” or “proactive,” but it's much more intense.
  • A “go-getter” is someone with initiative and ambition.
  • `雷厉风行` describes the *style* of execution. It carries a sense of top-down authority and overwhelming force. While a “proactive” person might carefully plan and then act, a `雷厉风行` person acts with such speed and force that it feels like a force of nature. It's less about quiet initiative and more about loud, visible, and rapid implementation.

This term highlights a preference for decisive leadership over prolonged consensus-building in many traditional Chinese organizational structures.

`雷厉风行` is a formal idiom but is commonly used in spoken and written Chinese, especially in professional contexts. Its connotation is overwhelmingly positive, though it can sometimes carry a slight implication of being rash.

• Praising a Leader: This is the most common usage. You use it to compliment a boss, manager, or official who is highly effective and doesn't waste time.
• Describing a Work Style: Someone might describe their own ideal work style as `雷厉风行`, or use it to describe a company's dynamic culture.
• Government and Policy: News reports often use this term to describe the government's swift implementation of a new policy or response to a crisis.
• Slightly Negative Nuance: In rare cases, it can be used with a critical tone to suggest someone acted too quickly without enough thought, steamrolling over others' opinions. For example, “His `雷厉风行` approach caused a lot of problems later on.” The context makes the negative connotation clear.

• Example 1:
  • 我们新来的CEO做事雷厉风行，一周内就解决了公司积压已久的问题。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xīn lái de CEO zuòshì léilìfēngxíng, yī zhōu nèi jiù jiějuéle gōngsī jīyā yǐ jiǔ de wèntí.
  • English: Our new CEO is swift and resolute; he solved the company's long-standing problems within a week.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of using the term to praise a leader's efficiency and decisiveness in a business context.
• Example 2:
  • 在处理这次突发事件时，政府的反应雷厉风行，很快控制了局势。
  • Pinyin: Zài chǔlǐ zhè cì tūfā shìjiàn shí, zhèngfǔ de fǎnyìng léilìfēngxíng, hěn kuài kòngzhìle júshì.
  • English: When dealing with this emergency, the government's response was swift and vigorous, and they quickly brought the situation under control.
  • Analysis: This shows the term used to describe an official or institutional response, highlighting speed and effectiveness during a crisis.
• Example 3:
  • 我很欣赏他雷厉风行的工作作风，从不拖泥带水。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ hěn xīnshǎng tā léilìfēngxíng de gōngzuò zuòfēng, cóngbù tuōnídàishuǐ.
  • English: I really admire his decisive and efficient work style; he never procrastinates.
  • Analysis: Here, `雷厉风行` is used as an adjective to describe a “work style” (工作作风). It's contrasted with its antonym, `拖泥带水` (to procrastinate).
• Example 4:
  • 面对竞争对手的挑战，我们必须雷厉风行地采取行动。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì jìngzhēng duìshǒu de tiǎozhàn, wǒmen bìxū léilìfēngxíng de cǎiqǔ xíngdòng.
  • English: Facing the challenge from our competitors, we must act swiftly and decisively.
  • Analysis: In this sentence, it's used as an adverb (with 地) to modify the verb “act” (采取行动), prescribing the *way* the action should be taken.
• Example 5:
  • 她是个雷厉风行的人，一旦做出决定，就马上执行。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì ge léilìfēngxíng de rén, yīdàn zuòchū juédìng, jiù mǎshàng zhíxíng.
  • English: She is a very decisive person; once she makes a decision, she implements it immediately.
  • Analysis: This describes a person's character trait directly. It implies not just speed but a strong will.
• Example 6:
  • 这位将军以雷厉风行的指挥风格而闻名。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi jiāngjūn yǐ léilìfēngxíng de zhǐhuī fēnggé ér wénmíng.
  • English: This general is famous for his swift and resolute command style.
  • Analysis: This example connects the idiom to its military origins, where such a style is highly valued.
• Example 7:
  • 他的改革虽然雷厉风行，但也因为考虑不周而得罪了不少人。
  • Pinyin: Tā de gǎigé suīrán léilìfēngxíng, dàn yě yīnwèi kǎolǜ bù zhōu ér dézuìle bùshǎo rén.
  • English: Although his reforms were carried out with vigorous speed, they also offended many people because they were not well-thought-out.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the potential negative connotation. The action was swift, but perhaps *too* swift, lacking deliberation.
• Example 8:
  • 项目经理要求我们用雷厉风行的态度完成这个紧急任务。
  • Pinyin: Xiàngmù jīnglǐ yāoqiú wǒmen yòng léilìfēngxíng de tàidù wánchéng zhège jǐnjí rènwù.
  • English: The project manager demanded that we complete this urgent task with a swift and resolute attitude.
  • Analysis: Here, `雷厉风行` modifies “attitude” (态度), showing it can describe a mindset as well as an action.
• Example 9:
  • 公司需要一位作风雷厉风行的领导来扭转局面。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī xūyào yī wèi zuòfēng léilìfēngxíng de lǐngdǎo lái niǔzhuǎn júmiàn.
  • English: The company needs a leader with a vigorous and decisive style to turn the situation around.
  • Analysis: This highlights the *need* for such a style in a turnaround situation, reinforcing its positive value in business.
• Example 10:
  • 与其优柔寡断，不如雷厉风行，抓住机会。
  • Pinyin: Yǔqí yōuróuguǎduàn, bùrú léilìfēngxíng, zhuāzhù jīhuì.
  • English: Rather than being indecisive, it's better to be swift and resolute and seize the opportunity.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses a common structure (与其 A 不如 B) to contrast `雷厉风行` directly with its opposite, `优柔寡断` (indecisive).

• Mistake 1: Using it for simple speed.
  • A common error is to use `雷厉风行` to mean just “very fast.” It's more than that. It implies purpose, power, and decisiveness in carrying out a task.
  • Incorrect: 他雷厉风行地跑回家。(He ran home very fast.)
  • Correct: 他飞快地跑回家。(He ran home at lightning speed.)
  • Reason: Running home is a simple movement. `雷厉风行` is best used for executing a plan, policy, or complex task.
• Mistake 2: Confusing it with “efficient.”
  • While a `雷厉风行` action is often efficient, the two are not identical. “Efficient” (高效, gāoxiào) is about the result (low waste, high output). `雷厉风行` is about the *style* of the action (fast, powerful, decisive). An action can be `雷厉风行` but still be a bad, inefficient decision in the long run if it wasn't well-planned.
• Mistake 3: Overusing it in casual contexts.
  • While understood by everyone, it is a formal chengyu. Using it to describe making dinner or doing chores might sound overly dramatic or humorous. For everyday tasks, simpler words like `快 (kuài)` or `马上 (mǎshàng)` are more appropriate.

• 当机立断 (dāng jī lì duàn) - A synonym that focuses more on the moment of *decision-making*—making a firm decision at a crucial juncture.
• 说干就干 (shuō gàn jiù gàn) - A more colloquial synonym meaning “to do something as soon as it's said,” emphasizing the immediacy between word and action.
• 大刀阔斧 (dà dāo kuò fǔ) - Literally “big knife, broad axe.” A synonym that emphasizes boldness and decisiveness, often used to describe major, sweeping reforms.
• 优柔寡断 (yōu róu guǎ duàn) - A direct antonym meaning indecisive, hesitant, and wishy-washy.
• 拖泥带水 (tuō ní dài shuǐ) - An antonym meaning to be sloppy, messy, or to procrastinate (literally “to drag mud and carry water”).
• 果断 (guǒduàn) - Decisive; resolute. This is a common HSK adjective that captures the “decisive” aspect of `雷厉风行` without the idiomatic force.
• 效率 (xiàolǜ) - Efficiency. This is often the *goal* or *result* of a `雷厉风行` work style.
• 执行力 (zhíxínglì) - Execution ability; the power to implement. A person who is `雷厉风行` is considered to have strong `执行力`.