







射石饮羽 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to shoot an arrow with such immense force that it pierces deeply into a stone, embedding the fletching. This idiom originally describes extraordinary strength in archery, and later extends to characterize superb martial arts skills or resolute determination”. Literally, “Shoot stone, embed fletching”.
Legend has it that in ancient times, there were four exceptional archers who possessed the skill to shoot arrows into solid rock, embedding the fletching completely. One such figure was Yang Youji, a renowned general from the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period, famous for his 'hundred-paces-piercing-willow-leaf' accuracy. Another was Xiong Quzi, also a figure from the State of Chu during the same era. The third was Li Guang, a distinguished general of the Han Dynasty. And the fourth was Li Yuan, a formidable general from the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
Their legendary feats embody the meaning of '射石饮羽'.

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Open the tool →射石饮羽 (shè shí yǐn yǔ) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to shoot an arrow with such immense force that it pierces deeply into a stone, embedding the fletching. This idiom originally describes extraordinary strength in archery, and later extends to characterize superb martial arts skills or resolute determination”.
射石饮羽 is pronounced shè shí yǐn yǔ in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 射石饮羽 means “Shoot stone, embed fletching”. It is used to mean “to shoot an arrow with such immense force that it pierces deeply into a stone, embedding the fletching. This idiom originally describes extraordinary strength in archery, and later extends to characterize superb martial arts skills or resolute determination”.
射石饮羽 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
饮:隐没;羽:箭尾的羽毛。箭射到石头里,隐没了箭尾的羽毛。原形容发箭的力量极强。后也形容武艺高强。