百孔千疮 (Bǎi kǒng qiān chuāng)

Basic Info

• Chinese Idiom: 百孔千疮 (Bǎi kǒng qiān chuāng)
• Pinyin: bǎi kǒng qiān chuāng
• Literal meaning: “A hundred holes and a thousand sores.”
  (百 = a hundred; 孔 = holes; 千 = a thousand; 疮 = wounds / sores / ulcers)

Also written as 千疮百孔 (qiān chuāng bǎi kǒng), with the same meaning.

Figurative Definition

It describes something that is riddled with holes and damage – badly broken, worn out, or full of defects. Figuratively, it applies to:

1. A damaged object or structure – a building, a ship, or a system falling apart.
2. A flawed system or organization – full of loopholes, weaknesses, and problems.
3. A person’s condition or reputation – battered, wounded, or compromised on many fronts.
4. An argument or plan – full of gaps and vulnerabilities.

In short: so full of holes and wounds that it is barely holding together.

Cultural & Historical Origin

This idiom comes from the Tang Dynasty master writer Han Yu (韩愈, 768–824), in his Letter to Minister Meng (《与孟尚书书》):

“其大经大法，皆亡灭而不救，坏烂而不收……汉氏以来，群儒区区修补，百孔千疮，随乱随失，其危如一发引千钧。”

“The great principles and laws have all perished beyond saving, decayed and uncollected… Since the Han Dynasty, scholars have patched them up in small ways – a hundred holes and a thousand sores, lost again with each disorder. The danger is like a single hair suspending a thousand jun of weight.”

Han Yu was lamenting the decline of Confucian learning and moral order. The great classical teachings had been damaged and neglected; later scholars could only make small, piecemeal repairs to a tradition that was already “百孔千疮” – full of holes and wounds. He warned that the whole structure was hanging by a thread, like a single hair holding up an enormous weight.

The image is powerful: a system so damaged that patching one hole leaves ten others exposed.

Key Lesson

Small patches cannot save a fundamentally broken structure. The idiom warns that when something is “百孔千疮,” piecemeal fixes are not enough – the damage is systemic, and what is needed is fundamental rebuilding, not endless small repairs. It also teaches honest diagnosis: do not pretend a broken system is fine. Acknowledge the holes, assess the damage, and decide whether to repair or rebuild.

Cultural Note

In modern Chinese, “百孔千疮” (or its variant “千疮百孔”) is a strong, often critical idiom. It appears in:

• Political and social commentary – describing a failing system, a corrupt institution, or a country in crisis.
• Business – describing a company with many internal problems.
• Personal description – a body or spirit battered by illness or hardship.
• Debate and criticism – describing an argument full of logical holes: “这篇文章千疮百孔，经不起推敲。” (“This article is full of holes – it cannot withstand scrutiny.”)

Its near-synonyms are “百弊丛生” (bǎi bì cóng shēng – “a hundred abuses springing up”), “漏洞百出” (lòu dòng bǎi chū – “full of loopholes”), and “满目疮痍” (mǎn mù chuāng yí – “a scene of devastation everywhere”). Its opposite is “完美无缺” (wán měi wú quē – “perfect and without flaw”).

Similar English Expressions

• Riddled with holes – The most direct equivalent.
• Full of holes – Simple and common.
• Falling apart at the seams – So damaged it is barely holding together.
• Shot full of holes – Literally or figuratively full of gaps and defects.
• A leaky ship – A system or organization with many problems.
• Full of loopholes – For arguments, plans, or rules with many gaps.
• A patchwork fix – Piecemeal repair that does not address the real damage.
• Beyond repair / Unsound – Describing a structure too damaged to save easily.

The closest and most natural equivalents are “riddled with holes,” “full of holes,” and “falling apart at the seams.”

In short, “百孔千疮” means a hundred holes and a thousand sores – a vivid image of severe, systemic damage, and a sharp reminder that when something is truly full of holes, small patches are not enough – it needs to be rebuilt.