saat3 jan4 jyu4 maa4殺人如厤杀人如历
Definition
To kill people like flies; to commit mass murder ruthlessly.
How it's used
This idiom describes someone who kills without hesitation or remorse, often used to depict ruthless villains in fiction or exceptionally skilled players in competitive video games. While the literal meaning implies a high volume of killing, it is frequently used hyperbolically to emphasize a person's cold-blooded nature or extreme efficiency in virtual combat. It carries a heavy, dramatic tone that is rarely used in casual conversation unless discussing entertainment or extreme circumstances.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake the final character for the homophone 麻, which is the correct character for this idiom. Ensure you use 殺人如麻 rather than any other variation, as the latter is the standard written form for this expression.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
