钳马衔枚 qián mǎ xián méi

DEFINITIONS

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

CHARACTERS

钳 qián pincers, pliers, tongs; to compress
马 mǎ
HSK 3
horse; surname; KangXi radical 187
衔 xián
HSK 6
bit; hold in mouth, bite; gag
枚 méi
HSK 6
stalk of shrub, trunk of tree