Chinese Idioms: Instant Victory Upon Arrival on a Horse

Mǎ Dào Chéng Gōng (馬到成功)

The idiom “instant victory upon arrival on a horse” is often used to mean gain immediate success or win an instant victory. SM Yang/Epoch Time

The Chinese idiom 馬到成功 (Mǎ Dào Chéng Gōng), which literally means attaining success upon arriving on a horse, can be found in literary works of the Yuan Dynasty (A.D. 1279–1368). However, a related story can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 B.C.).

Qin Shihuang (1) was the first emperor who conquered all the warring states in China and, in 221 B.C., established the Qin Dynasty.