<p><strong>降维攻击</strong> or <strong>降维打击</strong> is from 刘慈欣 (Liu Cixin)'s famous sci-fi novel <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three-Body_Problem_(novel)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">三体 (The Three-Body Problem)</a>.</p>
<p>It means that an advanced civilization uses a dimension reduction weapon 二向箔 to destroy a low-grade civilization by crushing their stellar system into a 2D plane.</p>
<p>If someone is not familiar with young netizen's culture or fashion, he won't know this idiom.</p>
<p>As you mentioned, this so called idiom can derive to any meaning and apply to any context, it doesn't need to express an exact meaning. Instead, it can express any relative meaning depending on its context. If we talk about this idiom, we should first talk about not only its context, but also its users.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-10T03:23:16.287Z
It's not so versatile like that. Please consider an answer which explains the real meaning of this expression.
Winfred Huang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-10T12:45:34.700Z
@AurusHuang I believe currently there's no "real" meaning, even the one explained in [百度百科](https://baike.baidu.com/item/降维攻击/7959455) is far different from the original meaning. Especially for those who haven't read the novel, their use of the phrase is only based on their understanding of "降维", which often confuses the *Three Body* fans.
Stan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2017-12-18T10:48:48.550Z
2020-08-11T20:59:35.287Z
2020-08-11T20:59:35.287Z
Tianjian Qin
<p>I've never heard anyone around me using this high-end idiom...<br>
So I searched the Internet, and found the idiom coming from Liu Cixin's renowned sci-fi novel <em>The Three Body Problem</em>.<br>
The original explanation is not easy to understand, so people just use its derived meaning: "<strong>attacking others in a 'vulgar/despicable' way</strong>".  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-20T02:08:15.567Z
People do use it like that. The Three Body fanboys are probably getting mad about it.
Wang Dingwei
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-12T02:03:25.743Z
If you read a bit 知乎 you will probably see it. 知乎 users like 三体梗 a lot.
River
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-08T17:06:43.997Z
As it is widely used, whether vulgar/despicable or not seems not necessary.
wznmickey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-18T08:37:59.597Z
2017-12-18T08:37:59.597Z
Winfred Huang
<p>Attack someone in a way that can not be imaged so that even you make great efforts, there is no results, like from smartphone to cellphone.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-08T16:58:42.200Z
2022-11-08T16:58:42.200Z
wznmickey
<p>it means an irresistible and  indescribable attack，generally used when people fail with no surprise because there is a big difference between the two sides’ might.</p>
<p>for example：</p>
<p>竞争最可怕的杀着是:降维打击;最可怕的问题是:自己被降维打击</p>
<p>降维打击的意思是站在比你高一个维度的层次，用低维度世界无法想象的武器攻击你，降维打击在很多情况下，不是高维度有意去攻击低纬度，只是一个不小心就把低维度的世界给毁灭了。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-26T17:14:30.180Z
2020-09-26T17:14:30.180Z
wacoola
<p>降 - 下降 - <strong>lower v.</strong></p>
<p>维 - 维度 - literally means dimension n. - more precisely means <strong>level n.</strong></p>
<p>攻击 - <strong>attack v./n.</strong></p>
<p>降维攻击 - lower-levelled attack</p>
<p>Please be aware that it's a highly informal expression, to some extent a man-made expression by contemporary people, to express sb is much more powerful than others.</p>
<p>For example, professional football team vs amateur football team</p>
<p>Honestly speaking, I don't think this kind of expression worth spending much time learning. They're sort of amusement making you sound interesting, however, unlikely to be used in an appropriate situation when the popularity cools down after a period of time.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-11T23:07:28.913Z
2020-08-11T23:07:28.913Z
smartsheep
<p>In economics there is this term called &quot;creative destruction&quot; coined by Joseph Schumpeter. It describes a scenario where outdated past business practices are demolished and replaced with new innovative methods. The invention of the steam engine / smartphone is a creative destruction: by &quot;destroying&quot; the old, unproductive tools (human &amp; animal power / pre-smartphone era phones) they brought about new means of production / communication and significant efficiency gains.</p>
<p>降维攻击/降维打击 has a similar meaning to creative destruction: employ more advanced techniques/measures/ideas and bring a devastating blow to the less advanced ones. It can be literally translated as &quot;higher-level blow&quot; or &quot;strike from a higher level&quot;. The term is often used in marketing speak as a reference to a more advanced business concept.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-08T15:01:13.180Z
2022-11-08T15:02:30.060Z
2022-11-08T15:02:30.060Z
user
<p>The idiom 降维攻击 is quite popular in Chinese chatting rooms.</p>
<p>Interestingly, it's used almost in any context. What's the origin and meaning of it?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-18T07:17:01.197Z
I've never heard of it. Doesn't sound like an idiom to me.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-18T07:23:28.733Z
降维dimensionality reduction, search web:https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%99%8D%E7%BB%B4%E6%94%BB%E5%87%BB/7959455 降维攻击 （科幻名词）
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-18T07:24:45.463Z
So, It is a term from a  sci-fi fiction-- 如果说你降维攻击，就是在说你以一种低级，违背正常文明的方式打击别人
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-18T10:11:49.917Z
re answer: other users have already searched the Internet, comment #2's  link already mentions 刘慈欣's novel 《三体Ⅲ·死神永生》Death's End (Wikipedia: the third novel in the trilogy titled Remembrance of Earth's Past, following the Hugo Award-winning novel The Three-Body Problem 三体) 
降维攻击 refers to 从三维降至二维的攻击由二向箔触发( for 向箔触发 again see baidu)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-19T08:53:10.717Z
@user6065 二向箔 is one word.
NS.X.
<idioms><internet-slang>
What does 降维攻击 mean?
# What does 降维攻击 mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-18)

The idiom 降维攻击 is quite popular in Chinese chatting rooms.

Interestingly, it's used almost in any context. What's the origin and meaning of it?

**Tags:** idioms, internet-slang

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I've never heard of it. Doesn't sound like an idiom to me.  
> **username_2**: 降维dimensionality reduction, search web:https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%99%8D%E7%BB%B4%E6%94%BB%E5%87%BB/7959455 降维攻击 （科幻名词）  
> **username_1**: So, It is a term from a  sci-fi fiction-- 如果说你降维攻击，就是在说你以一种低级，违背正常文明的方式打击别人  
> **username_2**: re answer: other users have already searched the Internet, comment #2's  link already mentions 刘慈欣's novel 《三体Ⅲ·死神永生》Death's End (Wikipedia: the third novel in the trilogy titled Remembrance of Earth's Past, following the Hugo Award-winning novel The Three-Body Problem 三体)  降维攻击 refers to 从三维降至二维的攻击由二向箔触发( for 向箔触发 again see baidu)  
> **username_3**: @username_2 二向箔 is one word.  

---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-12-18. Score: 10

**降维攻击** or **降维打击** is from 刘慈欣 (Liu Cixin)'s famous sci-fi novel [三体 (The Three-Body Problem)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three-Body_Problem_(novel)).

It means that an advanced civilization uses a dimension reduction weapon 二向箔 to destroy a low-grade civilization by crushing their stellar system into a 2D plane.

If someone is not familiar with young netizen's culture or fashion, he won't know this idiom.

As you mentioned, this so called idiom can derive to any meaning and apply to any context, it doesn't need to express an exact meaning. Instead, it can express any relative meaning depending on its context. If we talk about this idiom, we should first talk about not only its context, but also its users.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: It's not so versatile like that. Please consider an answer which explains the real meaning of this expression.  
> **username_6**: @AurusHuang I believe currently there's no "real" meaning, even the one explained in [百度百科](https://baike.baidu.com/item/降维攻击/7959455) is far different from the original meaning. Especially for those who haven't read the novel, their use of the phrase is only based on their understanding of "降维", which often confuses the *Three Body* fans.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-12-18. Score: 1

I've never heard anyone around me using this high-end idiom...  
So I searched the Internet, and found the idiom coming from Liu Cixin's renowned sci-fi novel *The Three Body Problem*.  
The original explanation is not easy to understand, so people just use its derived meaning: "**attacking others in a 'vulgar/despicable' way**".

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: People do use it like that. The Three Body fanboys are probably getting mad about it.  
> **username_8**: If you read a bit 知乎 you will probably see it. 知乎 users like 三体梗 a lot.  
> **username_9**: As it is widely used, whether vulgar/despicable or not seems not necessary.  

---

### Answer by username_9 on 2022-11-08. Score: 0

Attack someone in a way that can not be imaged so that even you make great efforts, there is no results, like from smartphone to cellphone.


---

### Answer by username_10 on 2020-09-26. Score: 0

it means an irresistible and indescribable attack，generally used when people fail with no surprise because there is a big difference between the two sides’ might.

for example：

竞争最可怕的杀着是:降维打击;最可怕的问题是:自己被降维打击

降维打击的意思是站在比你高一个维度的层次，用低维度世界无法想象的武器攻击你，降维打击在很多情况下，不是高维度有意去攻击低纬度，只是一个不小心就把低维度的世界给毁灭了。


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### Answer by username_11 on 2020-08-11. Score: 0

降 - 下降 - **lower v.**

维 - 维度 - literally means dimension n. - more precisely means **level n.**

攻击 - **attack v./n.**

降维攻击 - lower-levelled attack

Please be aware that it's a highly informal expression, to some extent a man-made expression by contemporary people, to express sb is much more powerful than others.

For example, professional football team vs amateur football team

Honestly speaking, I don't think this kind of expression worth spending much time learning. They're sort of amusement making you sound interesting, however, unlikely to be used in an appropriate situation when the popularity cools down after a period of time.


---

### Answer by username_12 on 2022-11-08. Score: 0

In economics there is this term called "creative destruction" coined by Joseph Schumpeter. It describes a scenario where outdated past business practices are demolished and replaced with new innovative methods. The invention of the steam engine / smartphone is a creative destruction: by "destroying" the old, unproductive tools (human & animal power / pre-smartphone era phones) they brought about new means of production / communication and significant efficiency gains.

降维攻击/降维打击 has a similar meaning to creative destruction: employ more advanced techniques/measures/ideas and bring a devastating blow to the less advanced ones. It can be literally translated as "higher-level blow" or "strike from a higher level". The term is often used in marketing speak as a reference to a more advanced business concept.


---

