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剑走偏锋

jiàn zǒu piān fēngdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
the sword moves with side stroke (modern idiom) / fig. unexpected winning move / unconventional gambit
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-2319a594160965fb. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

劍走偏鋒 剑走偏锋 [jian4 zou3 pian1 feng1] /the sword moves with side stroke (modern idiom)/fig. unexpected winning move/unconventional gambit/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 劍走偏鋒

  • 剑
    jiàn

    double-edged sword / CL:口[kǒu],把[bǎ] / classifier for blows of a sword

  • 走
    zǒu

    to walk / to go / to run / to move (of vehicle) / to visit / to leave / to go away / to die (euph.) / from / through / away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走[chè zǒu]) / to change (shape, form, meaning)

  • 偏
    piān

    to lean / to slant / oblique / prejudiced / to deviate from average / to stray from the intended line / stubbornly / contrary to expectations

  • 锋
    fēng

    point of a spear / edge of a tool / vanguard / forward (in sports team)

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.