当头棒喝 (dāng tóu bàng hè) — (idiom) a sharp, stunning warning or rebuke meant to jolt someone into awareness; (idiom) a sudden, harsh lesson that forces a change in perspective

Definition

A chengyu meaning a sharp, jarring warning meant to wake someone out of complacency — literally a blow and a shout delivered to the head. Used for a harsh lesson that forces a sudden change in perspective.

idiom
a sharp, stunning warning or rebuke meant to jolt someone into awarenessa sudden, harsh lesson that forces a change in perspective

Examples

  • 当头棒喝，。
    Lǎo shī de yì fān huà rú tóng dāng tóu bàng hè, ràng tā chè dǐ qīng xǐng guò lái.
    The teacher's words were like a shock that completely woke him up.
  • 当头棒喝，。
    Zhè cì shī bài duì tā lái shuō shì yì zhǒng dāng tóu bàng hè, cóng cǐ tā bú zài jiāo ào zì mǎn.
    This failure was a stunning blow for him, and from then on he stopped being arrogant and complacent.
  • 当头棒喝，。
    Fù qīn yán lì de pī píng gěi tā yí gè dāng tóu bàng hè, tā zhōng yú míng bai zì jǐ de cuò wù.
    Her father's severe criticism was a sharp warning that finally made her understand her 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 →

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 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
曷
曷hé喝hē
Same sound today

The 口 part is a mouth. The 曷 part gives the sound.

Open 喝 →

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