背水为阵 — “To fight with no way of retreat”

背水为阵 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to fight with no way of retreat”. To commit oneself to a do-or-die struggle. Literally, “To set up a battle formation with one's back to a river”.

Frequency

背水为阵 Pronunciation and Pinyin

背水为阵 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
背	bèi	9	back, carry, recite, violate
水	shuǐ	4	water, liquid, river, juice
为	wèi	4	to be or to do
阵	zhèn	6	a short period of time

Example Sentence with 背水为阵

为了完成这项重要的任务，我们必须背水为阵，全力以赴。

To complete this important task, we must fight with our backs to the wall and go all out.

Origin and Story of 背水为阵

The idiom '背水为阵' (bèi shuǐ wéi zhèn) originates from a historical event during the Western Han Dynasty. In the third year of the dynasty, Liu Bang dispatched his renowned generals Han Xin and Zhang Er to lead an army to conquer the State of Zhao. The King of Zhao, Liu Xie, and his general, Chen Yu, commanded a force of 200,000 soldiers to defend at Jingxing Pass.

Chen Yu, disregarding the strategic advice of his advisor Li Zuoche, insisted on engaging Han Xin's army in a direct confrontation. Seizing this opportunity, Han Xin devised a cunning plan. He positioned his troops with their backs against a river, seemingly leaving them no path of retreat. This tactic, designed to inspire a do-or-die resolve among his soldiers, also lured Chen Yu into believing Han Xin's forces were vulnerable.

While the main battle was underway, Han Xin secretly dispatched a contingent of light cavalry to swiftly capture the undefended main camp of the Zhao army. With their supply lines cut and their commander killed, Chen Yu's forces were thrown into chaos. Chen Yu himself was killed, King Liu Xie was captured, and the State of Zhao was successfully annihilated.

This brilliant strategy, where soldiers fought with no possibility of retreat, became the origin of '背水为阵', signifying a decisive and desperate struggle for victory.