三国·Three Kingdoms

过关斩将guò guān zhǎn jiàng

What does 过关斩将 mean?

Pass through every gate, defeat every guard — overcome all obstacles by determination and honour

比bǐ喻yù一yí路lù克kè服fú重chóng重chóng困kùn难nán,战zhàn胜shèng一yí个gè又yòu一yí个gè阻zǔ碍ài,最zuì终zhōng完wán成chéng目mù标biāo。

Historical origin

This idiom comes from the story of Guan Yu, a general of the Three Kingdoms era, riding alone through enemy territory to find his sworn brother Liu Bei. After learning Liu Bei was alive, Guan Yu bid farewell to Cao Cao, mounted his Red Hare horse, and fought his way through five fortified mountain passes — defeating five generals — until he finally reunited with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei.

关羽 · Guan Yu刘备 · Liu Bei张飞 · Zhang Fei曹操 · Cao Cao

How do you use 过关斩将 in a sentence?

With hard work and courage, our team passed every challenge and finally won the robotics competition.

靠kào着zhe努nǔ力lì和hé勇yǒng气qì,我wǒ们men的de团tuán队duì闯chuǎng过guò一yí道dào道dào难nán关guān,最zuì后hòu赢yíng得dé了le机jī器qì人rén比bǐ赛sài,真zhēn是shì过guò关guān斩zhǎn将jiāng。

Common mistake

A common mistake is using this idiom for something easy or ordinary, like finishing simple homework. It should be used for overcoming many difficult obstacles, not for small everyday tasks.

一yí个gè常cháng见jiàn错cuò误wù是shì把bǎ这zhè个gè成chéng语yǔ用yòng在zài很hěn轻qīng松sōng、很hěn普pǔ通tōng的de事shì情qíng上shàng,比bǐ如rú写xiě完wán简jiǎn单dān作zuò业yè。它tā应yīng该gāi用yòng来lái形xíng容róng克kè服fú很hěn多duō困kùn难nán和hé阻zǔ碍ài,而ér不bú是shì日rì常cháng小xiǎo事shì。

More examples and usage guide

The illustrated storybook

Guan Yu rides a thousand li alone through enemy territory, cutting down every general who stands between him and his sworn brother.

关(guān)羽(yǔ)千(qiān)里(lǐ)走(zǒu)单(dān)骑(qí),过(guò)五(wǔ)关(guān),斩(zhǎn)六(liù)将(jiāng),忠(zhōng)义(yì)之(zhī)心(xīn),天(tiān)下(xià)无(wú)敌(dí)。

Cover illustration for Five Gates and Six Generals · 过关斩将
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智慧典故系列 · Wisdom Series · Tales of China