半壁江山
半壁江山 (bàn bì jiāng shān) literally means “half the rivers and mountains” and expresses “partial loss or retention”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: ban bi jiang shan, ban bi jiang shan,半壁江山 meaning, 半壁江山 in english
Partial loss or retention
Pronunciation: bàn bì jiāng shān Literal meaning: Half the rivers and mountains
Origin & Usage
半壁 is half a wall and 江山, rivers and mountains, is the standard Chinese word for a realm — territory as the thing a dynasty holds. The phrase is inseparable from the memory of the Song court driven south of the Yangtze, ruling half of what it had, and it carries that specific grief: not defeat but partial survival, with the lost half still in view. Modern use has softened it to any large fraction of a whole, though in writing about history it keeps all of its original weight.
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。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
江郎才尽
jiāng láng cái jìn
Creativity permanently dried up
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悬崖峭壁
xuán yá qiào bì
Daunting challenges
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凿壁偷光
záo bì tōu guāng
Study despite poverty
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铜墙铁壁
tóng qiáng tiě bì
Impenetrable defense
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事半功倍
shì bàn gōng bèi
Less effort, better results
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半途而废
bàn tú ér fèi
Quitting before completion
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半斤八两
bàn jīn bā liǎng
Essentially the same despite appearances
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半面之交
bàn miàn zhī jiāo
Superficial acquaintance without depth
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 半壁江山 mean in English?
半壁江山 (bàn bì jiāng shān) literally translates to “Half the rivers and mountains” and is used to express “Partial loss or retention”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 半壁江山 used?
Situation: After the merger, the company now controls half the market share.
What is the pinyin for 半壁江山?
The pinyin pronunciation for 半壁江山 is “bàn bì jiāng shān”.