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

Practice word

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

Character breakdown

Study each Hanzi separately, then return to the complete word so pronunciation, meaning, and movement stay connected.

披pī

to wear; to split, to crack

荆jīng

thorns, brambles; surname

斩zhǎn

to chop, to cut, to sever; to behead

棘jí

jujube tree; thorns, brambles

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.

棘手jíshǒu

thorny (problem); intractable

荆棘jīngjí

thistles and thorns; brambles; thorny undergrowth

披露pīlù

to reveal; to publish; to make public; to announce

斩钉截铁zhǎndīng-jiétiě

lit. to chop the nail and slice the iron (idiom); fig. resolute and decisive; unhesitating; categorical

披红pī hóng

to drape sb in red silk as a sign of honor

披挂pī guà

to put on a suit of armor; to put on dress; to wear