焚書坑儒 fén shū kēng rú

burn books and kill scholars; harsh thought control

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to burn the Confucian classics and bury alive the Confucian scholars (acts supposedly committed by the first emperor 秦始皇qín shǐ huáng)

Characters

Character Meaning
焚 fén
to burn
書 shū
book; to write; letter
坑 kēng HSK 6
hole; pit; to defraud
儒 rú HSK 6
Confucian; scholar