📖 Meaning
This idiom uses broken weapons—an axe (斧) and a chisel (斨)—as a metaphor for the inevitable sacrifices and costs endured during war. It describes the heavy toll that warfare exacts upon those who fight in it.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Book of Songs (诗经), specifically the poem '破斧' (Broken Axe) in the 豳风 (Bin Feng) section. The original lines read '既破我斧，又缺我斨'—'My axe is broken, and my chisel is notched.' The poem is traditionally associated with the Duke of Zhou's (周公) eastern military campaigns to suppress rebellions during the early Western Zhou dynasty. The imagery of damaged weapons symbolizes the sacrifices and hardships suffered by soldiers in these campaigns.
💡 Example Usage
经过数年征战，将士破斧缺斨，终得凯旋归乡。
After years of campaigning, the soldiers endured broken axes and notched chisels before finally returning home in triumph.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 破斧缺斨
- Pinyin: pò fǔ quē zhōu
- Literal Translation: broken axe, notched chisel
- Category: Perseverance
- Characters: 4