"Bloody competition" — Phrase of the Week
Neta Auto under strain amid rising competition
Our phrase of the week is: "bloody competition" (腥风血雨 xīngfēng xuèyǔ)
Context
From the evening of January 5th, the official website of Neta Auto—a new energy vehicle (NEV) brand in China—became inaccessible.
This was compounded by online complaints from Neta customers whose subscriptions for the in-car app had expired and could not be renewed, while the customer hotline was unreachable.
Rumors of Neta Auto facing serious financial difficulties have been circulating since the end of last year, with reports of delayed salary payments, wage cuts, and staff layoffs.
Meanwhile, Neta Auto’s sales performance has been lackluster. In the first 10 months of 2024, Neta's sales experienced a 40% decline year-on-year.
These challenges come at a time when China’s NEV market is entering a period of fierce competition, one that is likely to lead to the downfall of many current players, as one industry insider notes:
If you take a look at the history of the automotive industry, such “bloody competition” is inevitable in removing excessive capacity.
从汽车行业发展史角度看，腥风血雨的大逃杀是产能出清的必然。
cóng qìchē hángyè fāzhǎnshǐ jiǎodù kàn, xīngfēng xuèyǔ de dàtáoshā shì chǎnnéng chūqīng de bìrán.
And with that, we have our Sinica Phrase of the Week!
What it means
“Bloody competition” is a four-character idiom that translates as “stench of blood in the wind” (腥风 xīngfēng) and “blood rain” (血雨 xuèyǔ).
The phrase vividly conveys a scene of intense violence, chaos, or brutal competition and is often used metaphorically to describe fierce struggles or conflicts.
The idiom originates from the classic Chinese novel, Water Margin (水浒传) by Shī Nài'ān (施耐庵). Shi Nai’an, believed to have lived during the late Yuan (1271–1368) and early Ming (1368–1644) dynasties, is renowned for his vivid storytelling and his exploration of themes like justice, loyalty, and rebellion.
Water Margin is one of China’s Four Great Classical Novels, portraying the lives of 108 outlaws who band together to fight corruption and oppression during the Song dynasty.
The phrase appears in arguably the most iconic part of the novel, the story of "Wu Song slays the tiger" (武松打虎). Wǔ Sōng 武松, one of the 108 outlaws, is known for his exceptional strength and bravery. The story unfolds when Wu Song, after drinking a large amount of liquor at a tavern, decides to travel through Jingyang Ridge (景阳冈), a place infamous for its man-eating tiger.
Despite warnings from the locals and his own intoxication, Wu Song sets off. As he walks through the ridge, he encounters the tiger. In a dramatic fight, Wu Song defeats the tiger barehanded, earning widespread fame and the nickname, "Tiger Slayer" (打虎英雄).
Our idiom describes the scene:
“The stench of blood and a rain of gore filled the pine forest, with scattered hair and fur falling over the mountain.”
腥风血雨满松林，散乱毛发坠山奄
xīngfēng xuèyǔ mǎn sōnglín, sànluàn máofà zhuì shānyǎn.
This imagery captures the brutality of a violent battle between Wu Song and the tiger, and the raw intensity of the conflict.
In modern usage, the idiom is translated as “bloody competition” or “bloody battle.” In the context of China’s fiercely competitive NEV sector, a ruthless and bloody contest is unfolding, one that is likely to claim the lives of many companies in the sector.
Neta Auto could well become one of those fatalities.
Andrew Methven is the author of RealTime Mandarin, a resource to help you learn contemporary Chinese in context, and stay on top of the latest language trends in China.
Read more about how this story is being discussed in the Chinese media in this week’s RealTime Mandarin.
Very nice expression and great case context. But in what universe is 哪吒 a "leading EV Brand in China"? Not that it matters, but still...