过关斩将 (guò guān zhǎn jiàng) — to surmount all obstacles in one's path; to overcome every difficulty and emerge victorious

Definition

Idiom from military imagery: to defeat every enemy along the way and win through. Used for any success that required overcoming many obstacles in succession, not literal battles.

idiom
to surmount all obstacles in one's pathto overcome every difficulty and emerge victorious

Examples

  • 过关斩将，。
    Tā zài bǐ sài zhōng guò guān zhǎn jiàng, zuì zhōng yíng dé le guàn jūn.
    He overcame all opponents in the competition and finally won the championship.
  • 过关斩将，。
    Chuàng yè zhī lù rú tóng yì chǎng guò guān zhǎn jiàng de zhàn zhēng, měi yí bù dōu bù róng yì.
    The road to entrepreneurship is like a war of overcoming obstacles — every step is not easy.
  • ，过关斩将。
    Jīng guò céng céng xuǎn bá, tā guò guān zhǎn jiàng jìn rù le nà suǒ dǐng jiān dà xué.
    After rounds of selection, she overcame all difficulties and got into that top university.

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.

过关pass a barrier
过guòpass关guānbarrier
动宾Verb + object
斩将slay a general
斩zhǎnslay将jiānggeneral
动宾Verb + object

过关 means passing barriers, and 斩将 means slaying generals; together they picture overcoming every obstacle.

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 過; 过 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
咼
咼wāi過guò
Same sound today

The traditional form 過 pairs 辵 (walk) with 咼 as a sound component; the simplified 过 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 过 →

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 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 斬; 斩 is its simplified writing.

  • 斤斤jīnaxe
  • 車車jūcart; vehicle

The traditional form 斬 combines 斤 (axe) and 車 (cart) to show an old punishment where carts tore apart a body, giving the sense 'to cut'; the simplified 斩 is only a shorthand.

Open 斩 →

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 將; 将 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat
寸寸cùnhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán將jiāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 將 combines 爿, which also supplies a sound and may show a small table, with ⺼ (meat) and 寸 (hand) to picture offering meat as tribute. The simplified 将 is a later shorthand.

Open 将 →

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