CHENGYU
背水一战(bèi shuǐ yī zhàn)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- formal
- Source:
- 《史记·淮阴侯列传》
MEANING
- Literal
- to fight with one's back to the river
- Figurative meaning
- a decisive last-ditch fight with no way back
ORIGIN STORY
General Han Xin placed his army with a river at their backs, leaving no retreat. Cut off from escape, his men fought with desperate courage — and won a battle that should have been lost.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“to burn one's bridges”
EXAMPLES
决赛他们背水一战，反而发挥得特别好。Juésài tāmen bèi shuǐ yī zhàn, fǎnér fāhuī de tèbié hǎo.HSK6
In the final they fought with their backs to the river and played their best.
公司快倒闭了，老板决定背水一战。Gōngsī kuài dǎobì le, lǎobǎn juédìng bèi shuǐ yī zhàn.HSK6
With the company near collapse, the boss chose to fight with his back to the river.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: Note the reading: 背 is bèi. It is a deliberate all-or-nothing stand, not desperation alone.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01