1 lit. a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom); fig. an action made pointless by changed circumstances
剑拔弩张
jiàn bá nǔ zhāng
1 lit. with swords drawn and bows bent (idiom); fig. a state of mutual hostility
2 at daggers drawn
剑走偏锋
jiàn zǒu piān fēng
1 the sword moves with side stroke (modern idiom)
2 fig. unexpected winning move
3 unconventional gambit
剑走蜻蛉
jiàn zǒu qīng líng
1 the sword moves like a dragon-fly (modern idiom)
2 fig. unexpected winning move
3 unconventional gambit
口蜜腹剑
kǒu mì fù jiàn
1 lit. honeyed words, a sword in the belly (idiom); fig. hypocritical and murderous
琴剑飘零
qín jiàn piāo líng
1 floating between zither and sword (idiom); fig. wandering aimlessly with no tenured position
空中楼阁
kōng zhōng lóu gé
1 pavilion in the air (idiom); unrealistic Utopian construction
2 castles in Spain
3 imaginary future plans
置诸高阁
zhì zhū gāo gé
1 lit. place on a high shelf
2 to pay no attention to (idiom)
项庄舞剑
Xiàng Zhuāng wǔ jiàn
1 lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liú Bāng] (idiom, refers to plot to kill Liu Bang during Feast at Hongmen 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[Hóng mén Yàn] in 206 BC)
2 fig. an elaborate deception hiding malicious intent
项庄舞剑,意在沛公
Xiàng Zhuāng wǔ jiàn , yì zài Pèi gōng
1 lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liú Bāng] (idiom); refers to 206 BC plot to murder Liu Bang, aka Duke of Pei 沛公[Pèi gōng] and the future Han emperor, during a sword dance at Feast at Hongmen 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[Hóng mén Yàn]
2 an elaborate deception to hide malicious intent
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