城下之盟
城下之盟 (chéng xià zhī méng) literally means “treaty under the city walls” and expresses “forced agreement”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: cheng xia zhi meng, cheng xia zhi meng,城下之盟 meaning, 城下之盟 in english
Forced agreement
Pronunciation: chéng xià zhī méng Literal meaning: Treaty under the city walls
Origin & Usage
In 700 BCE Chu besieged the small state of Jiao, drew its soldiers outside the walls with a decoy of unescorted woodcutters, and destroyed them. The Zuo Zhuan records that Jiao was then made to swear a covenant (盟) beneath (下) its own walls (城). That is the specific meaning: not a treaty that is merely unfavourable, but one signed with the enemy already at the gate and no alternative available. Any settlement accepted under that kind of pressure qualifies, and it always implies humiliation.
Examples
English: "The treaty was signed under pressure, leading to a fragile peace."
Chinese: 在压力下签署的城下之盟导致了脆弱的和平。
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 城下之盟 mean in English?
城下之盟 (chéng xià zhī méng) literally translates to “Treaty under the city walls” and is used to express “Forced agreement”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 城下之盟 used?
Situation: The treaty was signed under pressure, leading to a fragile peace.
What is the pinyin for 城下之盟?
The pinyin pronunciation for 城下之盟 is “chéng xià zhī méng”.