倚马可待 — “To be a prolific and speedy writer”

倚马可待 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be a prolific and speedy writer”. To draft documents or essays with remarkable quickness and fluency. Literally, “Leaning on a horse, one can wait (for the draft to be finished)”.

Frequency

倚马可待 Pronunciation and Pinyin

倚马可待 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
倚	yǐ	10	lean against or rely on
马	mǎ	3	horse, big, large
可	kě	5	can, may, suitable
待	dài	9	wait, treat, or about to

Example Sentence with 倚马可待

他的文笔流畅，思路清晰，写起文章来简直是倚马可待。

His writing is fluent and his thoughts are clear; he can draft essays with such speed, truly exemplifying 'leaning on a horse, able to finish quickly.'

Origin and Story of 倚马可待

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Xie Shang, the Inspector of Yuzhou, recognized Yuan Hu's exceptional literary talent and recommended him to Grand Marshal Huan Wen. Huan Wen then assigned Yuan Hu the task of drafting official documents for his residence.

Yuan Hu once composed the "Ode to the Eastern Expedition," praising many renowned scholars of the Eastern Jin.

Later, when he accompanied Huan Wen on a northern expedition against Former Yan, Huan Wen requested him to draft an urgent declaration of war on the front line. Yuan Hu, leaning against the saddle of his horse, completed a well-composed and fitting declaration in a remarkably short time. This feat showcased his extraordinary speed and skill in writing.