📖 Meaning
Originally described a lone warrior charging into battle on a single horse with one spear. It now metaphorically refers to undertaking an action or task entirely alone, without any help or support from others.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces to a poem titled 'Wujiang' by Wang Zun, a poet of the Chu kingdom during the Five Dynasties period. The poem depicts a defeated army with broken bows, yet a lone warrior breaks through the enemy's encirclement armed with just a single spear and horse. The imagery evokes the legendary last stand of Xiang Yu, Hegemon-King of Western Chu, at the Wu River. Over centuries the phrase evolved into a metaphor for acting independently without assistance.
💡 Example Usage
他匹马单枪闯入敌阵，毫不畏惧。
He charged into the enemy formation alone, completely fearless.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 匹马单枪
- Pinyin: pǐ mǎ dān qiāng
- Literal Translation: single horse, lone spear
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4