挑大梁 (tiǎo dà liáng) — (idiom) to assume a leading role; to shoulder the most important responsibility; (idiom) to be the lead actor or actress; to play the starring role

Definition

Idiom meaning to take on the leading role or shoulder the heaviest responsibility — literally 'to carry the main beam.' Used for the key person in a team, project, or performance.

idiom
to assume a leading roleto shoulder the most important responsibilityto be the lead actor or actressto play the starring role

Examples

  • 挑大梁,。
    Tā zài gōng sī lǐ tiǎo dà liáng, fù zé zuì hé xīn de xiàng mù.
    He takes on the leading role in the company, responsible for the most core projects.
  • 挑大梁,。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng yóu tā tiǎo dà liáng, yǎn jì shòu dào yí zhì hǎo píng.
    He played the lead in this film, and his acting received unanimous praise.
  • ,,。
    Zhè yì nián lái, tā yí gè rén tiāo qǐ gōng sī de dà liáng, fēi cháng xīn kǔ.
    Over the past year, he single-handedly shouldered the company's heavy responsibility — it was very tough.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

挑tiāocarry on shoulder
大梁main beam
大dàbig/main梁liángbeam
偏正Modifier + head

'挑' carry and '大梁' big beam combine: carrying the main beam means taking the leading role.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
兆
兆zhào挑tiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

挑 has 手, meaning hand, and 兆, which gives the sound.

Open 挑 →

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

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

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
水水shuǐwater
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
刅
刅chuāng梁Liáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

梁 pairs 水 (water) and 木 (wood) to show a bridge, with 刅 giving the sound.

Open 梁 →

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