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当头一棒 (dāng tóu yí bàng) — (figurative) a sudden, harsh wake-up call; a severe warning or shock that forces someone to face reality

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'a sudden, harsh wake-up call' — a figurative blow that forces someone to face reality. Used for events, words, or criticism that jolt someone awake, not a literal strike.

(figurative) a suddenharsh wake-up calla severe warning or shock that forces someone to face reality

Examples

  • 当头一棒，。
    Lǎo shī de huà xiàng dāng tóu yí bàng, ràng tā lì kè qīng xǐng guò lái.
    The teacher's words were like a sudden blow to the head, making him snap out of it immediately.
  • 当头一棒，。
    Zhè cì shī bài duì tā lái shuō zhēn shì dāng tóu yí bàng, cóng cǐ tā zài yě bù gǎn mǎ hu le.
    This failure was a real wake-up call for him; from then on he never dared to be careless again.
  • 当头一棒，。
    Fù qīn de pī píng gěi le ér zi dāng tóu yí bàng, ràng tā míng bai le zì jǐ de cuò wù.
    The father's criticism was a sharp blow to his son, making him realize his own mistake.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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
木木mùtree, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
奉
奉fèng棒bàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

棒 combines 木 (wood) with 奉, which gives the sound, to write a wooden club.

Open 棒 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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