Definition
This four-character idiom (成语) literally means 'impenetrable to sword and spear' — originally from Chinese martial arts novels where a hero's body is invulnerable to weapons. Today it's used figuratively to describe someone who is thick-skinned or immune to criticism, or something that is extremely tough and hard to break. The literal and figurative senses are both common, so context matters.
f.e.
invulnerable to weapons (literal)thick-skinnedimpervious to criticism (figurative)
Examples
- 刀枪不入。Xiǎoshuō lǐ de zhǔjué liàn chéng le dāo qiāng bú de gōngfu.The protagonist in the novel mastered the skill of being impervious to swords and spears.
- 刀枪不入，。Tā yǐjīng dāo qiāng bú le, bùguǎn biérén zěnme shuō dōu bú zàihu.He has become thick-skinned; no matter what others say, he doesn't care.
- ，刀枪不入，。Miànduì nàme duō pīpíng, tā yīrán dāo qiāng bú, jìxù jiānchí zìjǐ de zuòfǎ.Faced with so much criticism, he remained impervious and continued to stick to his own approach.
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