兵戎相见 (bīng róng xiāng jiàn) — to resort to arms; to meet on the battlefield; to engage in armed conflict

Definition

A literary idiom meaning 'to meet on the battlefield' — used when two sides, usually former allies or neighbors, escalate from words to open armed conflict. Stronger and more dramatic than everyday verbs like 打仗 or 开战.

idiom
to resort to armsto meet on the battlefieldto engage in armed conflict

Examples

  • ，兵戎相见。
    Liǎng guó tán pàn pò liè, zuì zhōng bīng róng xiāng jiàn.
    The negotiations between the two countries broke down, and they ultimately resorted to arms.
  • 兵戎相见，。
    Xī rì méng yǒu rú jīn bīng róng xiāng jiàn, lìng rén xī xū.
    Former allies are now meeting on the battlefield — it's a lamentable turn of events.
  • ，兵戎相见？
    Shuāng fāng ruò néng hé píng duì huà, hé bì bīng róng xiāng jiàn?
    If both sides can hold peaceful dialogue, why resort to arms?

Origin

Characters in this word

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

  • 斤斤jīna short axe
  • 廾廾gǒng2 hands

兵 combines 斤, a short axe, with 廾, two hands, showing a pair of hands holding a weapon.

Open 兵 →

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

戎 combines 甲 (shield) and 戈 (halberd) to show weaponry or arms.

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →

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