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-792b6f42bcd262e7. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.
Original source entry:
項莊舞劍，意在沛公 项庄舞剑，意在沛公 [Xiang4 Zhuang1 wu3 jian4 , yi4 zai4 Pei4 gong1] /lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] (idiom); refers to 206 BC plot to murder Liu Bang, aka Duke of Pei 沛公[Pei4 gong1] and the future Han emperor, during a sword dance at the Hongmen feast 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[Hong2 men2 yan4]/an elaborate deception to hide malicious intent/Source material and teaching drafts have separate provenance. Long-term commercial licensing remains under review.
Reference information
The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.
Character information
Other forms in these source records: 項莊舞劍，意在沛公
View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.