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铁血 (tiě xiě) — iron-willed, resolute, unyielding (of a person); related to or characterized by warfare, conflict, or military force

Definition

Literally 'iron and blood' — describes a person (or policy) who is resolute, unyielding, and willing to use military force to achieve a goal. Common in historical contexts (e.g., Bismarck).

adjective
iron-willedresoluteunyielding (of a person)related to or characterized by warfare, conflict, or military force

Examples

  • 铁血，。
    Tā shì yí gè tiě xiě xìng gé de rén, cóng bù qīng yì fàng qì.
    He is a person with an iron will, never easily giving up.
  • 铁血。
    Zhè ge guó jiā céng jīng shí xíng guò tiě xiě zhèng cè.
    This country once implemented a blood-and-iron policy.
  • 铁血，。
    Lì shǐ shàng yǒu hěn duō tiě xiě rén wù, bǐ rú bǐ sī mài.
    There are many iron-blooded figures in history, such as Bismarck.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

铁tiěiron
血xuèblood

铁 and 血 combine to suggest iron-willed, warlike strength.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鐵; 铁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢧤
𢧤𢧤鐵tiě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鐵 pairs 金 (metal) with 𢧤 as a sound part; the simplified 铁 is a later shorthand.

Open 铁 →

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

  • 一一yīdrop of blood
  • 皿皿mǐncontainer

The shape shows 一, a drop of blood, inside 皿, a container, for blood held in a sacrificial vessel.

Open 血 →
Appears in
Military & DefensePersonality & Traits

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