一夫当关，万夫莫开 — “One man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot open”
一夫当关，万夫莫开 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes a strategically important and dangerous pass or choke point where one person can hold back a large army, emphasizing its formidable and inaccessible nature”. Literally, “One man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot open”.
一夫当关，万夫莫开 Pronunciation and Pinyin
一夫当关，万夫莫开 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 一夫当关，万夫莫开
Origin and Story of 一夫当关，万夫莫开
During the Tianbao era of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, the poet Li Bai observed the corruption within the imperial court and the rise of treacherous officials. He foresaw an impending crisis of rebellion.
On the occasion of sending a friend off to Shu (modern-day Sichuan), he wrote the famous poem 'Shu Dao Nan' (Hard Roads in Shu) to reflect on the perilous times.
In this poem, he vividly described the treacherous landscape and strategic importance of the region with the lines: 'The Sword Gate Pass is towering and steep, one man guarding the pass, ten thousand cannot open it. If those who guard it are not loyal, they will turn into wolves and jackals. In the morning, one avoids fierce tigers; in the evening, long snakes, grinding teeth, sucking blood, killing people like flax.'
Idioms Related to 一夫当关，万夫莫开
Synonyms of 一夫当关，万夫莫开
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- yī一sī丝yī一háo毫the slightest amount
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Open the tool →Questions about 一夫当关，万夫莫开
What does 一夫当关，万夫莫开 mean?
一夫当关，万夫莫开 (yī fū dāng guān ， wàn fū mò kāi) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes a strategically important and dangerous pass or choke point where one person can hold back a large army, emphasizing its formidable and inaccessible nature”.
How do you pronounce 一夫当关，万夫莫开?
一夫当关，万夫莫开 is pronounced yī fū dāng guān ， wàn fū mò kāi in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 一夫当关，万夫莫开 literally mean?
Literally, 一夫当关，万夫莫开 means “one man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot open”. It is used to mean “describes a strategically important and dangerous pass or choke point where one person can hold back a large army, emphasizing its formidable and inaccessible nature”.
Where does 一夫当关，万夫莫开 come from?
一夫当关，万夫莫开 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 一夫当关，万夫莫开?
意思是山势又高又险，一个人把着关口，一万个人也打不进来。形容地势十分险要。