马上得天下 — “To establish a dynasty or rule through military conquest”

马上得天下 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to establish a dynasty or rule through military conquest”. To win power and control on horseback. Literally, “To gain the empire on horseback”.

Frequency

马上得天下 Pronunciation and Pinyin

马上得天下 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
马	mǎ	3	horse, big, large
上	shàng	3	up, above, on, previous, ascend
得	dé	11	obtain, must, or suitable
天	tiān	4	sky, heaven, day, nature
下	xià	3	below, down, next, to descend

Example Sentence with 马上得天下

这位传奇人物凭借着过人的胆识和卓越的军事才能，最终马上得天下，开启了一个崭新的时代。

This legendary figure, relying on exceptional courage and brilliant military prowess, ultimately achieved victory through conquest, ushering in a brand new era.

Origin and Story of 马上得天下

During the Western Han Dynasty, Lu Sheng often discussed the 'Book of Songs' and 'Book of Documents' in front of others.

Emperor Gaozu (Liu Bang) was greatly annoyed and said, "This old man (referring to himself) conquered the land on horseback. What's the use of the 'Book of Songs' and 'Book of Documents' anyway?"

Lu Sheng, unperturbed, retorted, "You conquered it on horseback, but can you rule it on horseback? Furthermore, Tang and Wu (referring to King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou) seized power through force but maintained it through benevolent governance. Employing both civil and military strategies is the art of long-lasting rule."