Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

破竹の勢い (hachikunoikioi) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

破は竹ちくの勢いきおい

は

ち

く

の

い

き

お

い

Meanings

1

with irresistible force; with great vigor

idiomatic expression›

Idiomatic expression likening momentum to splitting bamboo, which cracks easily all the way down once started. Used for unstoppable advances, rapid success, or overwhelming momentum.

新しん製せい品ひんは破は竹ちくの勢いきおいで

市し

場じょう

を

席せっ

巻けん

し

た

。

The new product swept the market with irresistible force.

彼かれのチームは破は竹ちくの勢いきおいで勝かち進すすんだ。

His team advanced with unstoppable momentum.

Kanji

破rend, rip, tear
竹bamboo
勢forces, energy, military strength

Related words

破は竹ちく
破竹 alone means 'splitting bamboo' or 'broken bamboo'; 破竹の勢い is the full idiomatic phrase.
勢いきおい
勢い by itself means 'force', 'momentum', or 'vigor'; the idiom adds the vivid bamboo-splitting image.

Built from

破は竹ちく+勢いきおい

Etymology

From the imagery of splitting bamboo: once a crack starts, it runs swiftly down the entire stalk. The phrase is a classical Chinese-derived idiom (故事成語) that entered Japanese.