鉗馬銜枚 qián mǎ xián méi

DEFINITIONS

  1. with horses and soldiers gagged (idiom)
  2. (of a marching army) in utter silence

CHARACTERS

鉗 qián pincers, pliers, tongs
馬 mǎ horse; surname; KangXi radical 187
銜 xián bit; hold in mouth, bite; gag
枚 méi stalk of shrub, trunk of tree