不翼而飛 bù yì ér fēi

DEFINITIONS

  1. to disappear without trace
  2. to vanish all of a sudden
  3. to spread fast
  4. to spread like wildfire

CHARACTERS

不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
翼 yì wings; fins on fish; shelter
而 ér and; and then; and yet; but
飛 fēi fly; go quickly; dart; high