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固若金汤 (gù ruò jīn tāng) — strongly fortified, impregnable

Definition

An idiom meaning 'strongly fortified, impregnable,' from a defensive moat filled with boiling metal. Used for cities, positions, or arguments that cannot be broken.

idiom
strongly fortifiedimpregnable

Examples

  • 固若金汤，。
    Zhè ge chéng shì de fáng shǒu gù ruò jīn tāng, dí rén hěn nán gōng pò.
    This city's defenses are as solid as metal and boiling moat — the enemy can hardly break through.
  • ，固若金汤。
    Jīng guò duō cì jiā gù, tā men de zhèn dì gù ruò jīn tāng.
    After multiple reinforcements, their position became impregnable.
  • 固若金汤，。
    Tā zài biàn lùn zhōng de lùn jù gù ruò jīn tāng, wú rén néng fǎn bó.
    His arguments in the debate were as solid as iron — nobody could refute them.

Origin

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
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ固gù
Same sound today

固 combines 囗, which relates to the meaning, with 古, which gives the sound.

Open 固 →

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

若 began as a picture of a person combing their hair, associated with obedience.

Open 若 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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 湯; 汤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng湯tāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 汤, the shape explained is 湯: 氵 is water, and 昜 gives the sound.

Open 汤 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesMilitary & Defense

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