剑拔弩张 jiàn bá nǔ zhāng

tense and hostile; on the brink of conflict

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 27861st word

Definitions

  1. 1. lit. with swords drawn and bows bent (idiom); fig. a state of mutual hostility
  2. 2. at daggers drawn

Characters

Character Meaning
剑 jiàn HSK 6
double-edged sword; classifier for blows of a sword
拔 bá HSK 6
to pull out; to pull up; to select
弩 nǔ
crossbow
张 zhāng HSK 3
classifier for flat objects, sheet; sheet of paper