To be evenly matched in strength, skill, or power; to be comparable in ability or influence.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Antonym:
Story:
During the late Western Han Dynasty, Wei Ao (隗嚣) from Chengji (present-day Qinan County, Gansu Province) organized armed forces to resist Wang Mang's rule, capturing areas like Longxi, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang.
Later, Liu Xiu appointed Wei Ao as the Great General of Xichuan. To prevent Gongsun Shu's forces, which occupied Chengdu, from expanding outwards, Liu Xiu wrote a letter to Wei Ao, hoping he would block Gongsun Shu's incursions.
The gist of the letter was: 'If Gongsun Shu advances into Hanzhong and attempts to seize Chang'an, I hope to rely on your troops and their flags and drums to hold them back. If you can do this, I will consider it a blessing from Heaven.'
People later derived the idiom '旗鼓相当' (qí gǔ xiāng dāng) from Liu Xiu's phrase '愿因将军兵马旗鼓相当' (I wish to rely on your general's troops, with their flags and drums, to be evenly matched), which is used to describe two sides being evenly matched in strength or power.