📖 Meaning
A calamity or peril encountered in warfare. The term refers to the arrows and stones (missiles) used as weapons in ancient battles, and the unfortunate dangers faced during combat. It broadly denotes the hardships and dangers of war.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom draws on ancient military imagery where arrows (矢) and stones (石) were common weapons of war, and '难' denotes misfortune or calamity. It likely originates from classical texts describing the perils faced by commanders and soldiers on the battlefield. The phrase captures the life-threatening dangers inherent in armed conflict, particularly the hail of projectiles that ancient soldiers endured.
💡 Example Usage
将军历经矢石之难，仍坚守阵地不肯后退。
The general endured the perils of arrows and stones, yet held his position and refused to retreat.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 矢石之难
- Pinyin: shǐ shí zhī nán
- Literal Translation: arrows, stones, of, disaster
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4