eliminate root cause; nip in the bud; destroy root and branch
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots; to destroy root and branch; to nip in the bud
formalOriginally from agricultural practice, this idiom is now used metaphorically to describe thoroughly eliminating a problem, threat, or enemy so completely that it cannot recover or recur. Often used in military, political, or competitive contexts.
Duì对
dí敌
rén人
bì必
xū须
zhǎn斩
cǎo草
chú除
gēn根
，
bù不
néng能
liú留
xià下
rèn任
hé何
hòu后
huàn患
。
We must eliminate the enemy root and branch, leaving no future trouble.
Wǒ我
men们
yào要
zhǎn斩
cǎo草
chú除
gēn根
，
chè彻
dǐ底
jiě解
jué决
zhè这
gè个
wèn问
tí题
，
fáng防
zhǐ止
tā它
zài再
cì次
fā发
shēng生
。
We need to destroy this problem root and branch, solving it completely to prevent recurrence.
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Jǐng警
fāng方
jué决
dìng定
zhǎn斩
cǎo草
chú除
gēn根
，
yī一
jǔ举
cuī摧
huǐ毁
zhěng整
gè个
fàn贩
dú毒
jí集
tuán团
。
The police decided to uproot the entire drug trafficking ring in one decisive action.
Rú如
guǒ果
bù不
zhǎn斩
cǎo草
chú除
gēn根
，
zhè这
xiē些
zá杂
cǎo草
hěn很
kuài快
jiù就
huì会
chóng重
xīn新
zhǎng长
chū出
lái来
。
If we don't pull out the weeds root and branch, they will quickly grow back.