養兵千日，用在一朝 yǎng bīng qiān rì ， yòng zài yī zhāo

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. train an army for a thousand days to use it for one morning (idiom)
  2. fig. extensive preparation eventually pays off

CHARACTERS

養 yǎng raise, rear, bring up; support
兵 bīng
HSK 5
soldier, troops
千 qiān
HSK 2
thousand; many, numerous; very; (Cant.) a cheater, swindler
日 rì
HSK 2
sun; day; daytime
用 yòng
HSK 3
use, employ, apply, operate; use
在 zài
HSK 1
be at, in, on; consist in, rest
一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
朝 zhāo
HSK 5
dynasty; morning