Definition
立马 is originally a verb-object compound (离合词) meaning 'to rein in a horse' — you can split it: 立了马, 立一次马. In modern colloquial Chinese, however, it is far more commonly used as a fixed adverb meaning 'immediately' or 'at once', equivalent to 马上 but more emphatic. Because this entry lists the POS as v.o., the grammatical focus is the literal verb-object usage, but learners should be aware that the adverbial use dominates in everyday speech.
v.o.
(verb-object) to rein in a horseto stop a horse
Examples
- 立马。Tā lì mǎ zài lù biān.He stopped his horse by the roadside.
- ，。Qíshǒu lì le mǎ, cóng mǎ shàng tiào xiàlái.The rider reined in his horse and jumped off.
- ，。Tā lì le yí cì mǎ, ránhòu jìxù qiánjìn.He stopped the horse once, then continued.
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