霸王别姬 — “The Hegemon-King bids farewell to his concubine”
霸王别姬 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “the Hegemon-King bids farewell to his concubine Yu Ji. This idiom describes a tragic scene of a hero at the end of his road, facing inevitable defeat and a sorrowful separation. It can also metaphorically refer to a leader who acts autocratically, isolates himself from others, and ultimately suffers a downfall”. Literally, “The Hegemon-King bids farewell to his concubine”.
霸王别姬 Pronunciation and Pinyin
霸王别姬 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 霸王别姬
Origin and Story of 霸王别姬
During the Chu-Han Contention, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, engaged in a prolonged war with Liu Bang for the imperial throne, lasting over a decade.
Eventually, Xiang Yu suffered a decisive defeat at Wujiang.
Realizing that his cause was lost, he had to bid a sorrowful farewell to his beloved concubine, Yu Ji, on the eve of his final breakout attempt, before ultimately taking his own life.
Idioms Related to 霸王别姬
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Open the tool →Questions about 霸王别姬
What does 霸王别姬 mean?
霸王别姬 (bà wáng bié jī) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “the Hegemon-King bids farewell to his concubine Yu Ji. This idiom describes a tragic scene of a hero at the end of his road, facing inevitable defeat and a sorrowful separation. It can also metaphorically refer to a leader who acts autocratically, isolates himself from others, and ultimately suffers a downfall”.
How do you pronounce 霸王别姬?
霸王别姬 is pronounced bà wáng bié jī in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 霸王别姬 literally mean?
Literally, 霸王别姬 means “the Hegemon-King bids farewell to his concubine”. It is used to mean “the Hegemon-King bids farewell to his concubine Yu Ji. This idiom describes a tragic scene of a hero at the end of his road, facing inevitable defeat and a sorrowful separation. It can also metaphorically refer to a leader who acts autocratically, isolates himself from others, and ultimately suffers a downfall”.
Where does 霸王别姬 come from?
霸王别姬 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to the modern era. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 霸王别姬?
姬：指西楚霸王项羽的宠妾虞姬。形容英雄末路的悲壮情景。现多比喻独断专行，脱离群众，最终垮台。