折戟沉沙

Chinese

		tenth (in price); to break; to fold tenth (in price); to break; to fold; to turn; broken (as of rope, stick)	a lance with two points	submerge; immerse; sink submerge; immerse; sink; deep; profound; to lower; to drop	granule; hoarse; raspy granule; hoarse; raspy; sand; powder; tsar
trad. (折戟沉沙/折戟沈沙)		折	戟	沉/沈	沙
simp. (折戟沉沙)		折	戟	沉	沙
Literally: “broken halberd buried in the sand”.

Etymology

From the poem 《赤壁》 by Du Mu.

折戟沈沙鐵未銷，自將磨洗認前朝。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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折戟沈沙铁未销，自将磨洗认前朝。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Du Mu, early 9th century. By the Purple Cliff (《赤壁》), translated by Witter Bynner.

Zhéjǐ chénshā tiě wèixiāo, zìjiāng móxǐ rèn qiáncháo. [Pinyin]

On a part of a spear still unrusted in the sand
I have burnished the symbol of an ancient kingdom.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zhéjǐchénshā

  (Zhuyin): ㄓㄜˊ ㄐㄧˇ ㄔㄣˊ ㄕㄚ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zhéjǐchénshā
    • Zhuyin: ㄓㄜˊ ㄐㄧˇ ㄔㄣˊ ㄕㄚ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jhéjǐchénsha
    • Wade–Giles: chê²-chi³-chʻên²-sha¹
    • Yale: jé-jǐ-chén-shā
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jerjiichernsha
    • Palladius: чжэцзичэньша (čžɛczičɛnʹša)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂɤ³⁵ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵ ʂä⁵⁵/

Verb

折戟沉沙

1. to be defeated and sustain heavy damage or casualties