跋山涉水 (bá shān shè shuǐ) — to go through a difficult and long journey (often used figuratively)

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'trek over mountains and ford rivers' — emphasizes a long, physically demanding journey, often used figuratively for overcoming hardship.

idiom
to go through a difficult and long journey (often used figuratively)

Examples

  • ，跋山涉水。
    Wèi le dào dá nà ge piān yuǎn de cūn zhuāng, tā men bá shān shè shuǐ zǒu le sān tiān.
    To reach that remote village, they traveled for three days through mountains and rivers.
  • 跋山涉水，。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù jiù xiàng bá shān shè shuǐ yí yàng, chōng mǎn le tiǎo zhàn.
    This project is like a difficult journey — full of challenges.
  • 跋山涉水。
    Lǎo jiào shòu nián qīng shí céng bá shān shè shuǐ qù gè dì shōu jí mín jiān gù shi.
    When he was young, the professor made arduous journeys to various places to collect folktales.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

跋山trek mountains
跋bátrek山shānmountain
动宾Verb + object
涉水ford rivers
涉shèford水shuǐwater
动宾Verb + object

跋 over 山 and 涉 through 水, an arduous journey.

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
犮
犮bá跋bá
Same sound today

跋 pairs 足 (foot) with 犮, which gives the sound. The 足 part shows that the word is about using the feet.

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

山 shows three mountain peaks side by side.

Open 山 →

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

涉 combines 水 (water) and 步 (walk), showing someone walking through water.

Open 涉 →

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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