王侯将相 — “High-ranking officials and aristocrats (in feudal society)”
王侯将相 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “High-ranking officials and aristocrats (in feudal society)”. Powerful nobles and ministers. Literally, “Kings, marquises, generals, and ministers”.
王侯将相 Pronunciation and Pinyin
王侯将相 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 王侯将相
Origin and Story of 王侯将相
Towards the end of the Qin Dynasty, the tyrannical rule of the governing class led to widespread suffering among the people. Many laborers were conscripted to build the Great Wall in the north.
Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, along with others, were delayed by heavy rain and, according to the law, were to be executed. They famously declared, "Are kings, marquises, generals, and ministers born to be so?" ("王侯将相宁有种乎?"), then rose in rebellion.
Other heroes quickly joined their cause, and the uprising swiftly overthrew the Qin Dynasty's rule.
Idioms Related to 王侯将相
Antonyms of 王侯将相
More idioms starting with 王
- wáng王zuǒ佐zhī之cái才extraordinary talent to assist a leader
- wáng王zuǒ佐zhī之cái材talent to assist a great leader
- wáng王bā八gāo羔zi子A despicable scoundrel
- wáng王gōng公dà大rén人nobles and high-ranking officials
- wáng王gōng公guì贵rén人nobles and high-ranking officials
- wáng王gōng公guì贵qī戚imperial kinsmen and nobility
- wáng王hòu后lú卢qián前equally famous in literature
- wáng王zǐ子fàn犯fǎ法，，shù庶mín民tóng同zuì罪All are equal before the law
- wáng王sūn孙gōng公zǐ子young men from noble families
- wáng王sūn孙guì贵qī戚royal descendants and noble relatives
- wáng王fǎ法wú无qíng情The law is impartial and relentless
- wáng王xiáng祥wò卧bīng冰exemplary filial piety and devotion
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Open the tool →Questions about 王侯将相
What does 王侯将相 mean?
王侯将相 (wáng hóu jiàng xiàng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “High-ranking officials and aristocrats (in feudal society)”.
How do you pronounce 王侯将相?
王侯将相 is pronounced wáng hóu jiàng xiàng in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 王侯将相 literally mean?
Literally, 王侯将相 means “Kings, marquises, generals, and ministers”. It is used to mean “High-ranking officials and aristocrats (in feudal society)”.
Where does 王侯将相 come from?
王侯将相 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 王侯将相?
泛指封建社会中位尊、禄厚、权重、势大的贵族。