Basic Info
- Chinese Idiom: 百无一漏 (Bǎi wú yī lòu)
- Pinyin: bǎi wú yī lòu
- Literal meaning: “A hundred [things] with not a single one missed.”
(百 = a hundred / many; 无 = without; 一 = one; 漏 = to leak / omit / miss / escape)
Figurative Definition
It describes doing something with complete thoroughness and reliability – not a single item, detail, or target is missed or left out. It praises flawless execution, exhaustive coverage, and complete success, with no omissions or failures.
It can describe:
- A thorough search or sweep – every corner checked, nothing overlooked.
- A reliable plan or method – every step covered, no gaps.
- A hunter or catcher – every target caught, none escaping.
In short: a hundred attempts, not one miss – complete and flawless coverage.
Cultural & Historical Origin
This idiom comes from the Song Dynasty collection Taiping Guangji (《太平广记》), Volume 191, compiled by Li Fang (李昉):
“獐鹿狐兔，走马遮截，放索䌈之，百无一漏。”
(“Deer, foxes, and rabbits – riding horses to intercept them, casting ropes to snare them – not one in a hundred escaped.”)
The passage describes a hunting scene: riders intercept the animals, cast ropes, and catch them all – not a single one gets away. The image is one of complete success in the chase: every target is captured, every attempt succeeds.
From this vivid hunting description, the idiom expanded to describe any task carried out with complete thoroughness and no omissions.
A useful comparison:
- 百无一漏 emphasizes no omissions – every item is covered.
- 万无一失 (wàn wú yī shī) emphasizes no failure – there is no risk of error.
Both are highly positive, but 百无一漏 focuses on completeness, while 万无一失 focuses on certainty of success.
Key Lesson
Thoroughness is a form of excellence. The idiom honors meticulous preparation and execution – the kind of care that leaves nothing to chance and overlooks nothing. It teaches that reliability comes from covering every detail, not from hoping for the best. But it also carries a quiet standard: claiming “百无一漏” requires real discipline – it is earned through careful work, not asserted through confidence.
Cultural Note
In modern Chinese, “百无一漏” is a positive, emphatic, and somewhat literary idiom. It appears in:
- Security and inspection – describing a thorough search or check.
- Business and project management – praising a plan or execution with no gaps.
- Sports and hunting – describing perfect accuracy or complete success.
- Everyday praise – “他做事百无一漏。” (“He does everything without a single omission.”)
Its near-synonym is “万无一失” (wàn wú yī shī – “no risk of failure”). Its tone is confident and admiring, often used to reassure someone that a task has been handled completely.
Similar English Expressions
- Not a single one missed – The most direct and natural equivalent.
- Every last one – Emphasizing complete coverage.
- Nothing overlooked – No detail or item missed.
- Thorough and complete – A direct descriptive phrase.
- To leave no stone unturned – To search or check everything exhaustively.
- To cover all bases – To ensure every possibility is addressed.
- Without a single omission – Formal and literal.
- To get every last one – Informal: to catch or include everything.
The closest and most natural equivalents are “not a single one missed,” “nothing overlooked,” and “to leave no stone unturned.”
In short, “百无一漏” means a hundred things with not a single one missed – a vivid, hunting‑derived idiom for complete thoroughness and flawless coverage, and a reminder that true reliability is built by overlooking nothing.
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