析骸以爨 — “Split bones to cook/for fuel”
析骸以爨 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be in an extremely dire situation where food and fuel are completely exhausted, forcing people to resort to desperate measures like burning human bones for warmth or cooking. It describes a state of extreme famine or siege, representing profound hardship and desperation”. Literally, “split bones to cook/for fuel”.
析骸以爨 Pronunciation and Pinyin
析骸以爨 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 析骸以爨
Origin and Story of 析骸以爨
During the Spring and Autumn period, King Zhuang of Chu launched an expedition against the State of Song because Song had killed Shen Zhou, an envoy from Chu who was passing through their territory.
Chu's forces besieged the capital of Song for half a year and intended to continue the siege indefinitely.
The King of Song dispatched his marshal, Hua Yuan, who, alone, infiltrated the bedchamber of Zi Fan, the Chu marshal. Holding Zi Fan hostage, Hua Yuan declared that the people of Song would rather exchange their children to eat and burn human bones for fuel than surrender.
He then requested that the Chu army withdraw thirty li (a traditional Chinese unit of distance) so that they could negotiate a resolution.
Idioms Related to 析骸以爨
Synonyms of 析骸以爨
More idioms starting with 析
- xī析jiāo交lí离qīn亲alienate friends and relatives
- xī析guī圭dān儋jué爵Assume office and receive honors
- xī析guī圭fēn分zǔ组assume an official post
- xī析guī圭dān担jué爵appointed to an official position and receive a noble title
- xī析lǜ律wǔ舞wén文twist laws by manipulating wording
- xī析lǜ律èr贰duān端distort law to aggravate crime
- xī析wēi微chá察yì异analyze subtle differences
- xī析háo毫pōu剖lí厘analyze meticulously down to the finest detail
- xī析háo毫pōu剖máng芒analyze with extreme meticulousness
- xī析guī珪pàn判yě野Confer titles and divide territories
- xī析guī珪zuò胙tǔ土enfeoff and grant land
- xī析yí疑kuāng匡miù谬analyze doubts and rectify errors
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Open the tool →Questions about 析骸以爨
What does 析骸以爨 mean?
析骸以爨 (xī hái yǐ cuàn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be in an extremely dire situation where food and fuel are completely exhausted, forcing people to resort to desperate measures like burning human bones for warmth or cooking. It describes a state of extreme famine or siege, representing profound hardship and desperation”.
How do you pronounce 析骸以爨?
析骸以爨 is pronounced xī hái yǐ cuàn in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 析骸以爨 literally mean?
Literally, 析骸以爨 means “split bones to cook/for fuel”. It is used to mean “to be in an extremely dire situation where food and fuel are completely exhausted, forcing people to resort to desperate measures like burning human bones for warmth or cooking. It describes a state of extreme famine or siege, representing profound hardship and desperation”.
Where does 析骸以爨 come from?
析骸以爨 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 析骸以爨?
指被围日久，粮尽柴绝的困境。亦以形容战乱或灾荒时期百姓的悲惨生活。