贯虱穿杨 — “To shoot a tiny louse and pierce a willow leaf”

贯虱穿杨 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to shoot a tiny louse and pierce a willow leaf”. Describes superb archery skills, exceptional precision, or highly refined technique. Literally, “pierce louse, shoot willow”.

Frequency

贯虱穿杨 Pronunciation and Pinyin

贯虱穿杨 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
贯	guàn	8	pierce, connect, or link
虱	shī	8	louse or parasitic person
穿	chuān	9	wear, pierce, pass through
杨	yáng	7	poplar tree

Example Sentence with 贯虱穿杨

他经过多年的刻苦训练，终于练就了贯虱穿杨的绝技，在射击比赛中屡获佳绩。

After years of rigorous training, he finally mastered the superb skill of 'piercing a louse and shooting through a willow leaf,' achieving excellent results in shooting competitions.

Origin and Story of 贯虱穿杨

Once upon a time, Ji Chang went to learn archery from the master archer Fei Wei. Fei Wei first asked him to practice fundamental eye training.

Ji Chang went home and practiced by watching his wife weave, learning to keep his eyes wide open without blinking.

Fei Wei then instructed him to practice making small objects appear large.

Ji Chang practiced until he could see a tiny louse on his hair as large as a carriage wheel.

After these preparations, Fei Wei taught him the actual archery techniques. Finally, Ji Chang mastered the superb archery skill of 'piercing a louse and shooting through a willow leaf'.