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 →
买犊卖刀
买犊卖刀
买犊卖刀
买犊卖刀
买犊卖刀
买犊卖刀
买犊卖刀
买犊卖刀

买犊卖刀 — “Buy calves, sell swords”

买犊卖刀 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to abandon a military or violent way of life for a peaceful, agricultural one; to turn over a new leaf and mend one's ways”. Literally, “Buy calves, sell swords”.

Frequency

买犊卖刀 Pronunciation and Pinyin

买犊卖刀 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order
CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
买
mǎi6to buy
犊
dú12newborn calf, inexperienced person
卖
mài8sell, betray, exert, show off
刀
dāo2knife

Example Sentence with 买犊卖刀

他曾经是个好斗的人,如今买犊卖刀,专心经营自己的小农场,生活也平静多了。
He used to be a pugnacious person, but now he has bought calves and sold swords, focusing on running his small farm, and his life has become much more peaceful.

Idioms Related to 买犊卖刀

Synonyms of 买犊卖刀

  • mǎi买niú牛mài卖jiàn剑turn over a new leaf
  • mài卖jiàn剑mǎi买niú牛abandon fighting for peaceful farming

Antonyms of 买犊卖刀

  • mài卖dú犊mǎi买dāo刀sell ox, buy sword; give up peaceful life for war
  • nán南zhēng征běi北zhàn战campaign and fight battles across the country
  • qióng穷bīng兵dú黩wǔ武exhaust military resources in aggressive warfare

More idioms starting with 买

  • mǎi买shàng上gào告xià下Bribe superiors and influence subordinates
  • mǎi买shàng上zhǔ嘱xià下bribe superiors and solicit subordinates
  • mǎi买dōng东mǎi买xī西go shopping for various items
  • mǎi买mài卖bù不chéng成rén仁yì义zài在Goodwill remains even if business fails
  • mǎi买guān官yù鬻jué爵buy and sell official posts
  • mǎi买dú椟huán还zhū珠value the superficial over the essential
  • mǎi买jué爵fàn贩guān官buy and sell official posts
  • mǎi买niú牛xī息gē戈Lay down arms, live peacefully
  • mǎi买lí犁mài卖jiàn剑lay down arms and farm
  • mǎi买wáng王dé得yáng羊Aim for superior, get lesser imitation
  • mǎi买tián田yáng阳xiàn羡resign and retire to seclusion

Recommended tools

Bingo Cards

Picture and word Bingo for your class

Open the tool →

Stroke Order Animator

Turn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4

Open the tool →

Character Highlight Animator

Choose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order

Open the tool →

Writing Worksheets

Printable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion

Open the tool →

Questions about 买犊卖刀

What does 买犊卖刀 mean?

买犊卖刀 (mǎi dú mài dāo) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to abandon a military or violent way of life for a peaceful, agricultural one; to turn over a new leaf and mend one's ways”.

How do you pronounce 买犊卖刀?

买犊卖刀 is pronounced mǎi dú mài dāo in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 买犊卖刀 literally mean?

Literally, 买犊卖刀 means “Buy calves, sell swords”. It is used to mean “to abandon a military or violent way of life for a peaceful, agricultural one; to turn over a new leaf and mend one's ways”.

What is the Chinese definition of 买犊卖刀?

犹言卖剑买牛。原指放下武器,从事耕种。后比喻改业务农或坏人改恶从善。

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