半壁江山 (bàn bì jiāng shān) — half of the country's territory (often the part still held after invasion or division)

Definition

Literary idiom meaning 'half the realm' — a country's territory, usually what's left after invasion or division. Stronger and more dramatic than plain 国土, used in writing about history and war.

idiom
half of the country's territory (often the part still held after invasion or division)

Examples

  • ，半壁江山。
    Nà chǎng zhàn zhēng hòu, zhè ge wáng cháo shī qù le bàn bì jiāng shān.
    After that war, the dynasty lost half of its territory.
  • 半壁江山，。
    Bǎo zhù zhè bàn bì jiāng shān, cái yǒu kě néng dōng shān zài qǐ.
    Only by holding onto this half of the country can there be a chance to stage a comeback.
  • 半壁江山，。
    Suī rán zhī zhàn lǐng le bàn bì jiāng shān, dàn dí jūn yǐ jīng wú lì jì xù jìn gōng.
    Although the enemy only occupied half the territory, they were already unable to continue their offensive.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The shape pairs 八 (to divide) with 牛 (cow), showing a cow cut into two halves.

Open 半 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì壁bì
Same sound today

壁 combines 土 (earth) and 辟, which gives the sound. The whole means an earthen wall.

Open 壁 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng江jiāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

江 puts 氵, the water side, beside 工, which gives a sound; the water part points to its river meaning.

Open 江 →

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 →

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