"Wan wu yi shi" means that in ten thousand attempts, there is not a single failure. It describes doing things with extreme steadiness, absolute reliability, and without any possibility of error. Its deeper meaning emphasizes a high degree of confidence in the outcome and thorough preparation, and it is often used to describe plans, measures, arrangements, and the like that are very rigorous and carry extremely low risk. This idiom comes from the "Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of the Marquis of Huaiyin," where the original text reads, "Judging by this, there is not one failure in ten thousand," reflecting the precise calculation of chances of victory in ancient military strategy. In modern usage, it is mostly used to emphasize the reliability of safety, insurance, precision operations, or major decisions, such as aerospace engineering, medical surgery, and financial risk control. In emotional coloring, it carries a strong sense of affirmation and reassurance, but sometimes it also implies a reminder against overconfidence. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the wisdom in Chinese culture of "planning before acting" and "being as careful at the end as at the beginning," pursuing the elimination of uncertainty through thorough preparation.
📝 Example
1. This launch mission underwent repeated simulations and drills to ensure it was absolutely foolproof. (Describing something as absolutely reliable, with no chance of any error.)
2. He backed up the important documents in triplicate and stored them in different places, which could be described as absolutely foolproof. (Describing arrangements as extremely thorough, with no possibility of any mistake.)