The New Dictionary.
Search dictionary
Chinese/Dictionary entry

剑拔弩张

jiàn bá nǔ zhāngdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
lit. with swords drawn and bows bent (idiom) / fig. a state of mutual hostility / at daggers drawn
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-31f13a785f729663. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

劍拔弩張 剑拔弩张 [jian4 ba2 nu3 zhang1] /lit. with swords drawn and bows bent (idiom); fig. a state of mutual hostility/at daggers drawn/

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: 劍拔弩張

  • 剑
    jiàn

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

  • 拔
    bá

    to pull up / to pull out / to draw out by suction / to select / to pick / to stand out (above level) / to surpass / to seize

  • 弩
    nǔ

    crossbow

  • 张
    zhāng

    to open up / to spread / sheet of paper / classifier for flat objects, sheet / classifier for votes

    Zhāng

    surname Zhang

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.