Hanzi Now
CharactersIdiomsChinese NameFlashcards
Tools

Visual content

  • Chinese Text Image GeneratorCreate PNGs with pinyin, highlight character parts or remove strokes
  • Stroke Order AnimatorTurn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4
  • Character Highlight AnimatorChoose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order
  • Chinese Text Morph AnimatorTurn one Chinese character, word or phrase into another; download SVG, MP4 or WebM

Audio content

  • Chinese Text to SpeechRead Chinese aloud with karaoke highlighting

Teaching materials

  • Writing WorksheetsPrintable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion
  • Bingo CardsPicture and word Bingo for your class
  • Picture WorksheetsChinese and English fill-in vocabulary worksheets

Other

  • Pinyin GeneratorConvert Chinese text to pinyin with tone marks
  • Chinese Zodiac CalculatorFind your animal sign from your birth date and make a zodiac card.
  • Chinese Word CounterCount characters, words and sentences in Chinese text
View all tools →
表里山河
表里山河
表里山河
表里山河
表里山河
表里山河
表里山河
表里山河
表里山河
表里山河

表里山河 — “Rivers outside, mountains inside”

表里山河 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes a strategic location or territory naturally fortified by surrounding rivers and mountains, making it easy to defend”. Literally, “Rivers outside, mountains inside”.

Frequency

表里山河 Pronunciation and Pinyin

表里山河 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order
CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
表
biǎo8show, surface, form, watch
里
lǐ7inside, village, unit of length
山
shān3mountain or hill
河
hé8river

Example Sentence with 表里山河

这座古城地势险要,表里山河,易守难攻,历来是兵家必争之地
This ancient city has a strategic terrain, protected by natural barriers of mountains and rivers, making it easy to defend and hard to attack, and has historically been a place of military contention.

Origin and Story of 表里山河

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Chu army encamped behind the Xi region. The Marquis of Jin worried they might launch a sneak attack on the State of Jin.

Hearing a children's rhyme, "The old fields are plentiful, abandon the old and plan for the new," the Marquis of Jin became even more anxious.

Zi Fan advised him, saying: "Let us fight! If we win, we will surely gain the support of the various feudal lords; and if we do not win, with the mountains and rivers as our natural defenses, there will be no harm."

The Marquis of Jin then decided to launch an attack based on the advantageous terrain.

Idioms Related to 表里山河

More idioms starting with 表

  • biǎo表zhuàng壮bù不rú如lǐ理zhuàng壮Inner competence is better than outward splendor
  • biǎo表zhuàng壮bù不rú如lǐ里zhuàng壮Inner quality is better than outward appearance
  • biǎo表lǐ里yī一zhì致consistent in word and deed
  • biǎo表lǐ里bù不yī一inconsistent in word and deed
  • biǎo表lǐ里wéi为jiān奸collude internally and externally for evil
  • biǎo表lǐ里shòu受dí敌attacked from within and without
  • biǎo表lǐ里rú如yī一consistent in word and deed
  • biǎo表lǐ里xiāng相yī依intertwined and mutually dependent
  • biǎo表lǐ里xiāng相hé合consistent in words and actions
  • biǎo表lǐ里xiāng相yìng应external and internal correspond
  • biǎo表lǐ里xiāng相jì济internal and external mutually aiding
  • biǎo表lǐ里xiāng相fú符consistent in word and deed

Recommended tools

Bingo Cards

Picture and word Bingo for your class

Open the tool →

Writing Worksheets

Printable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion

Open the tool →

Picture Worksheets

Chinese and English fill-in vocabulary worksheets

Open the tool →

Stroke Order Animator

Turn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4

Open the tool →

Questions about 表里山河

What does 表里山河 mean?

表里山河 (biǎo lǐ shān hé) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes a strategic location or territory naturally fortified by surrounding rivers and mountains, making it easy to defend”.

How do you pronounce 表里山河?

表里山河 is pronounced biǎo lǐ shān hé in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 表里山河 literally mean?

Literally, 表里山河 means “Rivers outside, mountains inside”. It is used to mean “describes a strategic location or territory naturally fortified by surrounding rivers and mountains, making it easy to defend”.

Where does 表里山河 come from?

表里山河 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 表里山河?

表里:即内外。外有大河,内有高山。指有山河天险作为屏障。

Hanzi Now

Explore the charm of Chinese language

Explore

  • Characters
  • Idioms
  • Chinese Names
  • Flashcards

Tools

  • Chinese Text Image Generator
  • Stroke Order Animator
  • Character Highlight Animator
  • Bingo Cards
  • Picture Worksheets
  • All Tools

More

  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
© 2026 Hanzi NowContact Us