投笔从戎 tóu bǐ cóng róng

to join the military (esp. of educated person)

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to join the military (esp. of educated person)
  2. 2. to lay down the pen and take up the sword (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
投 tóu HSK 5
to send; to cast; to throw oneself (into the river etc)
笔 bǐ HSK 2
pen; pencil; the strokes of Chinese characters
从 cóng HSK 2
from; via; through
戎 róng
military affairs; army (matters); surname Rong