TongTong
Sign in

单枪匹马 (dān qiāng pǐ mǎ) — single-handed, alone (doing something without help)

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'single-handed, all alone' — emphasizes doing something with no help at all, stronger and more literary than the plain 一个人.

idiom
single-handedalone (doing something without help)

Examples

  • 单枪匹马。
    Tā dān qiāng pǐ mǎ dì wán chéng le zhè xiàng jiān jù de rèn wu.
    He completed this difficult task single-handedly.
  • 单枪匹马，。
    Tā dān qiāng pǐ mǎ chuǎng jìn le jué sài, lìng suǒ yǒu rén guā mù xiāng kàn.
    She made it to the finals all by herself, surprising everyone.
  • ，单枪匹马。
    Zài zhè ge xiàng mù shàng, tā dān qiāng pǐ mǎ miàn duì suǒ yǒu tiǎo zhàn.
    In this project, he faced all the challenges alone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

单枪one spear
单dānsingle枪qiāngspear
偏正Modifier + head
匹马one horse
匹pǐsingle马mǎhorse
偏正Modifier + head

“单枪” (one spear) and “匹马” (one horse) are joined to picture a lone warrior.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

Open 单 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 槍; 枪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
倉
倉cāng槍qiāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 槍 pairs 木 (wood) with 倉 as a sound part; the simplified 枪 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 枪 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
乙
乙yǐ匹
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 匹 is often explained as 石 (rock) with 乙 giving the sound, but its original picture is uncertain.

Open 匹 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.