啮雪吞毡 — “To endure extreme hardships and deprivations”
啮雪吞毡 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to endure extreme hardships and deprivations”. Often sacrificing personal comfort, in order to uphold one's moral integrity or principles. Literally, “Gnaw snow and swallow felt”.
啮雪吞毡 Pronunciation and Pinyin
啮雪吞毡 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 啮雪吞毡
Origin and Story of 啮雪吞毡
During the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu dispatched his minister Su Wu as an envoy to the Western Regions to establish friendly relations with the Xiongnu Chanyu.
However, a Han general who had previously surrendered, King Hou, rebelled, infuriating the Chanyu. Consequently, Su Wu and his entourage were detained.
Su Wu was then confined to a large cellar, where he subsisted by gnawing on snow and swallowing felt, resolutely refusing to capitulate.
He was subsequently forced into slavery by the Xiongnu, herding sheep across the vast grasslands. Nineteen years later, he finally returned to the Han Dynasty, his integrity unbroken.
Idioms Related to 啮雪吞毡
Synonyms of 啮雪吞毡
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Open the tool →Questions about 啮雪吞毡
What does 啮雪吞毡 mean?
啮雪吞毡 (niè xuě tūn zhān) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to endure extreme hardships and deprivations”.
How do you pronounce 啮雪吞毡?
啮雪吞毡 is pronounced niè xuě tūn zhān in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 啮雪吞毡 literally mean?
Literally, 啮雪吞毡 means “Gnaw snow and swallow felt”. It is used to mean “to endure extreme hardships and deprivations”.
Where does 啮雪吞毡 come from?
啮雪吞毡 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 啮雪吞毡?
指为坚持气节而过艰苦的生活。