劍拔弩張 jiàn bá nǔ zhāng

tense and hostile; ready to fight

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

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