📖 Meaning
To sleep with one's weapon as a pillow while awaiting daybreak. It describes someone who is constantly prepared for battle, maintaining a state of high alertness and readiness to fight at a moment's notice.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Book of Jin, Biography of Liu Kun (《晋书·刘琨传》). Liu Kun was a general of the Western Jin dynasty who fought against northern invaders. He declared, 'I sleep with my weapon as a pillow awaiting dawn, determined to destroy the rebel enemy.' The phrase captures his unwavering commitment to defending his country and his constant combat readiness against hostile forces.
💡 Example Usage
将士们枕戈待旦，随时准备迎击来犯之敌。
The soldiers slept with weapons as pillows, ready at all times to repel any invading enemy.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 枕戈待旦
- Pinyin: zhěn gē dài dàn
- Literal Translation: pillow on weapon, wait for dawn
- Category: Determination
- Characters: 4