📖 Meaning
Literally meaning to rest one's head on a weapon while waiting for daybreak. It describes someone so eager to fight the enemy and serve the country that they cannot sleep peacefully, keeping their weapons close through the night. It is a variant of the more common idiom 枕戈待旦.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in the Ming Shi (History of Ming), compiled by Zhang Tingyu during the Qing dynasty, in the biography of the general Wu Liang. It records that Wu Liang would sleep at the city gate tower with his head on his weapon, remaining vigilant until dawn, and that he trained his officers and soldiers as though the enemy might strike at any moment. The biography highlights his unwavering military discipline and dedication to defending the realm.
💡 Example Usage
将士们枕戈达旦，誓死保卫这座城池。
The soldiers rested on their weapons through the night, swearing to defend the city to the death.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 枕戈达旦
- Pinyin: zhěn gē dá dàn
- Literal Translation: rest head on weapon, until dawn
- Category: Perseverance
- Characters: 4