TongTong
Sign in

孤军奋战 (gū jūn fèn zhàn) — to fight alone (without allies or support); (figurative) to struggle single-handedly against difficulties

Definition

An idiom meaning to fight a lone battle — struggling single-handedly without allies or backup. Used figuratively for facing difficulties alone.

idiom
to fight alone (without allies or support)(figurative) to struggle single-handedly against difficulties

Examples

  • ，孤军奋战，。
    Zài zhè ge xiàng mù shàng, tā gū jūn fèn zhàn, méi yǒu duì yǒu bāng máng.
    On this project, he fought alone without teammates to help.
  • ，，孤军奋战。
    Chuàng yè chū qī, tā měi tiān jiā bān dào shēn yè, zhēn shì gū jūn fèn zhàn.
    In the early days of starting his business, he worked overtime until late every night — truly fighting a lone battle.
  • ，孤军奋战。
    Miàn duì qiáng dà de jìng zhēng duì shǒu, tā men zhǐ néng gū jūn fèn zhàn.
    Facing powerful competitors, they could only fight alone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

孤军lone army
孤gūlone军jūnarmy
偏正Modifier + head
奋战fight bravely
奋fènbravely战zhànfight
偏正Modifier + head

孤 and 军 describe a lone army, while 奋 and 战 add brave fighting.

Characters in this word

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
子子zǐchild
Sound part声符shēngfú
瓜
瓜guā孤gū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

孤 uses 子 (child) to show a child, and 瓜 to give the sound.

Open 孤 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軍; 军 is its simplified writing.

  • 車車jūcart; chariot
  • 勹勹bāoto surround

In the traditional form 軍, 車 shows the chariot sense, while the part now written 勹 is a sound part, not the 'surround' 勹. Simplified 军 is a later shorthand.

Open 军 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 奮; 奋 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 奮 pairs 奞, a bird, with 田, a field, to show a bird spreading its wings to fly; the simplified 奋 is a later abbreviation.

Open 奋 →

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
戈戈gē
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn战zhàn
Same sound today

战 pairs 占, which gives its sound, with 戈, a weapon.

Open 战 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesMilitary & Defense

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