裹尸马革 — “To die bravely on the battlefield”
裹尸马革 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to die bravely on the battlefield”. Symbolizing a warrior's heroic sacrifice and determination to serve his cause until the very end. Literally, “To wrap a corpse in horsehide”.
裹尸马革 Pronunciation and Pinyin
裹尸马革 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 裹尸马革
Origin and Story of 裹尸马革
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, when there was unrest among the northern Xiongnu, the great general Ma Yuan led his troops to suppress the rebellion. He fought valiantly, decisively defeated the Xiongnu, and stabilized the border. The emperor bestowed upon him the title of Fubo General.
At the age of 62, when the Xiongnu once again encroached upon the Eastern Han, Ma Yuan requested to lead the troops into battle, famously declaring: "A man should die on the battlefield and be buried wrapped in horsehide."
He subsequently fell ill and died in the army that same year.
Idioms Related to 裹尸马革
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Open the tool →Questions about 裹尸马革
What does 裹尸马革 mean?
裹尸马革 (guǒ shī mǎ gé) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to die bravely on the battlefield”.
How do you pronounce 裹尸马革?
裹尸马革 is pronounced guǒ shī mǎ gé in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 裹尸马革 literally mean?
Literally, 裹尸马革 means “to wrap a corpse in horsehide”. It is used to mean “to die bravely on the battlefield”.
Where does 裹尸马革 come from?
裹尸马革 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 裹尸马革?
革：皮革。用马皮包裹尸体。形容将士战死沙场的英勇无畏的气慨。