半壁江山

Pronunciation: bàn bì jiāng shān Literal meaning: Half the rivers and mountains

Origin & Usage

Commonly used in classical Chinese, the idiom 半壁江山 (bàn bì jiāng shān) vividly depicts a nation that has lost or preserved only part of its territory. The term 半壁 (bàn bì) means 'half,' and 江山 (jiāng shān) refers to 'rivers and mountains,' symbolizing a country's land. This idiom is often used to describe situations where a significant portion of a nation or domain has been compromised, yet a substantial part remains. Historically, it evokes the image of a once-unified land now divided by conflict or invasion. In modern contexts, it can metaphorically describe any situation where a major part of a whole is lost or retained, such as a business maintaining half its market share or a project preserving half its resources.

Examples

English: "After the merger, the company now controls half the market share."

Chinese: 合并后，公司占据了半壁江山。