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硬仗 (yìng zhàng) — tough battle (military); difficult task (figurative)

Definition

A figurative 'tough battle' used for a hard challenge or grueling task. Always paired with 打赢/打 or called 一场 ∼ — it keeps the metaphor of combat throughout.

noun
tough battle (military)difficult task (figurative)

Examples

  • 硬仗。
    Zhè chǎng yìng zhàng chí xù le sān tiān sān yè.
    This tough battle lasted three days and three nights.
  • 硬仗。
    Wán chéng zhè ge xiàng mù duì wǒ men lái shuō shì yì chǎng yìng zhàng.
    Completing this project is a tough battle for us.
  • 硬仗。
    Dǎ yíng zhè chǎng yìng zhàng xū yào dà jiā de nǔ lì.
    Winning this tough battle requires everyone's effort.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

硬yìnghard
仗zhàngbattle

硬 means hard and 仗 means battle, so 硬仗 is a tough battle or difficult task.

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
石石shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
更
更gèng硬yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

硬 is built from 石, meaning stone, to show hardness or stiffness, and 更, which gives the sound.

Open 硬 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 仗 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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