铤而走险 — “To take a desperate risk”
铤而走险 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to take a desperate risk”. To make a dangerous move when cornered; to go for broke. Literally, “dash into peril; rush into danger”.
铤而走险 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 铤tǐng
- 而ér
- 走zǒu
- 险xiǎn
铤而走险 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 铤而走险
Origin and Story of 铤而走险
During the Spring and Autumn Period, Duke Ling of Jin, aiming to expand his power and become a hegemon, gathered various feudal lords at Hu.
He was reluctant to meet with Duke Mu of Zheng, a smaller state, suspecting him of plotting against Jin.
To ease the tension, Zǐjiā, a high-ranking official from Zheng, wrote a letter to Zhao Dun, a chief minister of Jin. In the letter, Zǐjiā expressed Zheng's willingness to maintain friendly relations and emphasized that states should treat each other with courtesy, rather than being forced to 'take desperate risks' ("") and engage in warfare.
Idioms Related to 铤而走险
Synonyms of 铤而走险
Antonyms of 铤而走险
More idioms starting with 铤
Questions about 铤而走险
- What does 铤而走险 mean?
- 铤而走险 (tǐng ér zǒu xiǎn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to take a desperate risk”.
- How do you pronounce 铤而走险?
- 铤而走险 is pronounced tǐng ér zǒu xiǎn in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 铤而走险 literally mean?
- Literally, 铤而走险 means “dash into peril; rush into danger”. It is used to mean “to take a desperate risk”.
- Where does 铤而走险 come from?
- 铤而走险 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 铤而走险?
- 铤：急走的样子；走险：奔赴险处。指在无路可走的时候采取冒险行动。