百发百中 (Bǎi fā bǎi zhòng)

Basic Info

• Chinese Idiom: 百发百中 (Bǎi fā bǎi zhòng)
• Pinyin: bǎi fā bǎi zhòng
• Literal meaning: “A hundred shots, a hundred hits.”
  (百 = a hundred / every; 发 = to shoot / discharge; 中 = to hit the target)

Figurative Definition

It describes perfect accuracy – never missing a shot. It is used to praise extraordinary marksmanship, and by extension, doing something with complete confidence and reliability, so that success is virtually guaranteed.

It can describe:

• Shooting or archery – every arrow or bullet finds its mark.
• Predictions or judgments – always correct.
• Plans or actions – carried out with such skill and preparation that they never fail.

In short: every attempt succeeds; nothing is wasted.

Cultural & Historical Origin

This idiom comes from the Strategies of the Warring States (《战国策·西周策》):

“楚有养由基者，善射，去柳叶者百步而射之，百发百中。”

“In Chu there was a man named Yang Youji, skilled in archery. He stood a hundred paces from a willow leaf and shot at it – a hundred shots, a hundred hits.”

Yang Youji (养由基) was a legendary archer of the state of Chu. His feat – hitting a tiny willow leaf from a hundred paces, every single time – became the classic image of flawless accuracy.

It is closely related to “百步穿杨” (bǎi bù chuān yáng – “piercing a willow leaf from a hundred paces”), but there is a subtle difference:

• 百步穿杨: Precision – hitting a tiny target from a great distance.
• 百发百中: Reliability – every shot hits; never missing.

Key Lesson

Confidence is built on preparation. Yang Youji did not hit every shot by luck – he had trained until accuracy became second nature. The idiom teaches that true reliability comes from skill, discipline, and practice. It also carries a warning: do not claim “百发百中” unless you have genuinely prepared. Overconfidence without ability leads to misses.

Cultural Note

In modern Chinese, “百发百中” is a positive, common idiom. It appears in:

• Sports commentary – praising a shooter, archer, or striker.
• Praise for accurate judgment – “他看人百发百中” (“His judgment of people is always right”).
• Business and planning – describing a strategy that succeeds every time.
• Everyday admiration – “他猜题百发百中” (“He guesses exam questions perfectly every time”).

Its near-synonyms are “弹无虚发” (dàn wú xū fā – “not a single bullet wasted”) and “百步穿杨” (precision at a distance).

Similar English Expressions

• A hundred shots, a hundred hits – A direct literal equivalent.
• Every shot finds its mark – Perfect accuracy.
• Dead shot – An extremely accurate shooter.
• To hit the bullseye every time – Never missing the target.
• Surefire – Certain to succeed.
• Can’t miss – Informal: guaranteed to succeed.
• To bat a thousand – To succeed every time (from baseball).
• Nothing but net – A perfect shot in basketball (informal).

The closest and most natural equivalents are “every shot finds its mark,” “a dead shot,” and “surefire.”

In short, “百发百中” means a hundred shots, a hundred hits – a vivid image of flawless accuracy and complete reliability, and a reminder that true confidence is earned through practice, not claimed through bravado.