Word information
Simplified披荆斩棘
Traditional披荊斬棘
Pinyinpī jīng zhǎn jí
Part of speechDictionary
HSK 3.0Not listed
HSK 2.0Not listed
Chinese word dictionary
披荆斩棘
pī jīng zhǎn jí · lit. to cut one's way through thistles and thorns (idiom); fig. to overcome all obstacles on the way; to break through hardships
Character breakdown
Study each Hanzi separately, then return to the complete word so pronunciation, meaning, and movement stay connected.
How to learn 披荆斩棘
Listen once without reading, repeat the pinyin with its tones, then write every character in sequence. Finally, recall the complete meaning instead of memorizing each character as an isolated translation.
When the word appears in a sentence, check whether its part of speech and meaning match the definition shown here. Chinese words can change nuance with context.
Related vocabulary
Words with the same characters
Compare how a familiar Hanzi changes meaning inside another word.
披pī
to drape over one's shoulders; to open; to unroll; to split open; to spread out
棘手jíshǒuthorny (problem); intractable
荆棘jīngjíthistles and thorns; brambles; thorny undergrowth
披露pīlùto reveal; to publish; to make public; to announce
斩zhǎnto behead (as form of capital punishment); to chop
斩钉截铁zhǎndīng-jiétiělit. to chop the nail and slice the iron (idiom); fig. resolute and decisive; unhesitating; categorical