Learn Chinese Watching Guardians of the Dafeng (大奉打更人): 30 Essential Words & Phrases
2026-03-31
Guardians of the Dafeng (大奉打更人) might be the single best C-drama for learning Chinese if you are somewhere between beginner and intermediate. Why? Because the protagonist Xu Qi'an (许七安) is a transmigrator — a modern person dropped into an ancient world — which means he is constantly translating between modern colloquial Chinese and classical formal language. When he cracks a joke that nobody in the Dafeng Dynasty understands, you are learning the same lesson he is: how context changes everything in Chinese.
This article gives you 30 essential words and phrases from the drama, organized into three categories that match the show's genre mashup: court politics, cultivation and martial arts, and detective work. Plus cultural concepts that unlock deeper understanding of the story.
Why Guardians of the Dafeng Is Perfect for Chinese Learners
Before we get to the vocabulary, here is why this drama deserves a spot in your study rotation:
The transmigrator bridge. Xu Qi'an thinks in modern Chinese but has to speak in classical Chinese. The show constantly juxtaposes these two registers. When he internally monologues, he uses the same casual Mandarin you hear in everyday conversation. When he addresses officials, he switches to formal court language. This back-and-forth is like having a built-in translation layer.
International subtitles. The drama was released across 14 languages on Disney+, Viki, and WeTV. High-quality subtitles in your native language mean you can watch with dual subtitles — Chinese plus your language — for maximum comprehension.
The source novel. The web novel by 卖报小郎君 (Mài Bào Xiǎo Lángjūn) runs 3.8 million characters. That is not a typo. If you graduate from watching to reading, you have enough material for years of practice. The novel is available on Qidian (起点中文网) and has been fan-translated into English as well.
Audiobook on Ximalaya. For listening practice, search 大奉打更人 on Ximalaya (喜马拉雅). Professional narration at natural speed — far more challenging than textbook audio, but far more rewarding.
Comedy as a memory device. Xu Qi'an is genuinely funny. He quotes internet slang in ancient court settings, makes pop culture references that baffle everyone around him, and generally treats the cultivation world with the irreverence of someone who has seen too many web novels. Humor makes vocabulary stick. You will remember 谋反 (treason) because of the absurd situation in which Xu Qi'an almost commits it by accident.
Court & Government Vocabulary (朝堂用语)
The Dafeng Dynasty is modeled on Tang-era China with its own twists. Court scenes are dense with political vocabulary, and since Xu Qi'an works for the government, you hear these words constantly.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | How It Appears in the Drama | |---------|--------|---------|----------------------------| | 皇帝 | huángdì | Emperor | The Emperor of Dafeng sits at the center of every political conspiracy. Characters refer to him as 陛下 (bìxià, "Your Majesty") to his face. | | 公主 | gōngzhǔ | Princess | Princess Huaiqing (怀庆公主) is one of the most intelligent characters in the story. She becomes a key ally for Xu Qi'an. | | 太子 | tàizǐ | Crown Prince | The Crown Prince is a recurring figure in court power struggles — the question of succession drives major plot arcs. | | 朝堂 | cháotáng | Imperial court | Literally "court hall." When characters say 朝堂之上 (cháotáng zhī shàng), they mean "in the imperial court" — the arena where political battles are fought with words instead of swords. | | 都察院 | dūcháyuàn | Censorate / Inspection Bureau | This is where Xu Qi'an's story begins. The 都察院 is responsible for investigating corruption and crime — think of it as ancient internal affairs. | | 科举 | kējǔ | Imperial examination | The exam system that determined who could become an official. Xu Qi'an's cousin Xu Erlang (许二郎) is obsessed with passing the 科举. When characters discuss 科举, they are talking about the only legitimate path to power for commoners. | | 圣旨 | shèngzhǐ | Imperial decree | When the Emperor issues a 圣旨, everyone kneels. The phrase 接旨 (jiē zhǐ, "receive the decree") always precedes the dramatic reading of the Emperor's orders. | | 大臣 | dàchén | Minister / official | Court scenes are full of 大臣 arguing, scheming, and occasionally getting arrested. Xu Qi'an navigates between multiple factions of ministers. | | 后宫 | hòugōng | Inner palace / harem | The Emperor's private quarters and the domain of consorts and concubines. 后宫 politics run parallel to 朝堂 politics and are just as dangerous. | | 谋反 | móufǎn | Treason / rebellion | The most serious accusation in the Dafeng Dynasty. Being charged with 谋反 means your entire family is at risk. Xu Qi'an nearly gets tangled in a treason case early in the story — it is how he learns that the court is far more dangerous than any criminal case. |
Learning Tip
Pay attention to how characters address each other. A 大臣 speaking to the 皇帝 uses completely different language than when speaking to a subordinate. The honorifics alone — 陛下, 殿下 (diànxià, for princes and princesses), 大人 (dàren, for officials) — tell you the entire social hierarchy of a scene.
Cultivation & Martial Arts Vocabulary (修炼武学用语)
Guardians of the Dafeng has one of the most creative cultivation systems in Chinese fantasy. Instead of a single path, there are multiple systems — Confucian scholars, Buddhist monks, martial artists, warlocks, and more — each with their own ranks and abilities. Here is the vocabulary you need.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | How It Appears in the Drama | |---------|--------|---------|----------------------------| | 修炼 | xiūliàn | Cultivation / practice | The general term for training to gain supernatural powers. Every system in Dafeng requires 修炼, but the methods differ wildly — a Confucian cultivates through reading and moral virtue, while a martial artist cultivates through physical training. | | 品级 | pǐnjí | Rank / grade | The cultivation ranking system in Dafeng goes from 九品 (jiǔ pǐn, ninth rank, lowest) to 一品 (yī pǐn, first rank, highest) and beyond. When someone asks 你什么品级？ they want to know how powerful you are. | | 超凡 | chāofán | Transcendent | Breaking past the normal ranking system. A 超凡 cultivator has exceeded mortal limits. When characters describe someone as 超凡, it means "do not fight this person." | | 浩然正气 | hàorán zhèngqì | Noble righteous spirit | The power source of Confucian cultivators. This phrase comes from Mencius (孟子) and originally described moral courage. In the drama, it is literally weaponized — a scholar's 浩然正气 can physically suppress evil. | | 渡劫 | dùjié | Crossing tribulation | A dangerous breakthrough event where heaven itself tests a cultivator. 渡劫 scenes are among the most dramatic in the show — lightning, earthquakes, and the very real possibility of death. | | 金丹 | jīndān | Golden core | A stage of cultivation where internal energy condenses into a core. Originally from Daoist alchemy, 金丹 in the drama represents a major power milestone. | | 武功 | wǔgōng | Martial arts skill | General term for fighting ability. When characters compare 武功, they are measuring combat power. Xu Qi'an's 武功 grows rapidly, which makes other cultivators suspicious. | | 内力 | nèilì | Internal force / qi | The energy that powers martial techniques. 内力 is invisible but its effects are not — a punch backed by deep 内力 can shatter stone. | | 境界 | jìngjiè | Realm / level | Used both literally (cultivation level) and philosophically (level of understanding). When a character says 你的境界还不够 (nǐ de jìngjiè hái bù gòu), they mean "your level is not high enough" — in power, comprehension, or both. | | 突破 | tūpò | Breakthrough | The moment a cultivator advances to the next rank. 突破 scenes are always climactic — the character faces an internal or external challenge, overcomes it, and emerges stronger. |
Learning Tip
The cultivation vocabulary in Dafeng maps beautifully onto everyday Chinese. 突破 (breakthrough) is used in business, sports, and personal growth. 境界 (realm/level) describes someone's depth of understanding in any field. 修炼 itself is used colloquially to mean "working hard at self-improvement." Learn these words through the drama and you can use them everywhere.
Investigation & Detective Vocabulary (探案用语)
Xu Qi'an is fundamentally a detective. His cases drive the plot, and investigation scenes are packed with procedural vocabulary that maps directly to modern Chinese legal and crime terminology.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | How It Appears in the Drama | |---------|--------|---------|----------------------------| | 破案 | pò'àn | Solve a case | Xu Qi'an's specialty. The phrase 破案了 (pò'àn le, "case solved!") is practically his catchphrase. In modern Chinese, people use it casually when they figure something out — like saying "mystery solved." | | 线索 | xiànsuǒ | Clue | Every investigation arc revolves around collecting 线索. Xu Qi'an is better at finding them than anyone because he applies modern forensic thinking to ancient crimes. | | 证据 | zhèngjù | Evidence | 没有证据 (méiyǒu zhèngjù, "there is no evidence") is what corrupt officials say when they think they have covered their tracks. Xu Qi'an always finds the 证据 anyway. | | 嫌疑人 | xiányírén | Suspect | A compound word worth breaking down: 嫌疑 (suspicion) + 人 (person). When Xu Qi'an identifies a 嫌疑人, the interrogation scenes that follow are some of the best in the show. | | 真相 | zhēnxiàng | Truth | The dramatic reveal word. 真相只有一个 (zhēnxiàng zhǐyǒu yī gè, "there is only one truth") — you might recognize this from Detective Conan, and Xu Qi'an would absolutely make that reference. | | 案件 | ànjiàn | Case | The formal word for a criminal case. Xu Qi'an handles multiple 案件 throughout the story, each more complex and politically dangerous than the last. | | 审问 | shěnwèn | Interrogation | When Xu Qi'an conducts a 审问, watch his language shift. He becomes formal, precise, almost legalistic — a stark contrast to his usual casual tone. | | 口供 | kǒugōng | Confession / testimony | What an interrogation aims to produce. 录口供 (lù kǒugōng) means "to take a statement." A signed 口供 can make or break a case. | | 现场 | xiànchǎng | Crime scene | 保护现场 (bǎohù xiànchǎng, "secure the crime scene") — Xu Qi'an insists on this like a modern CSI detective, baffling his ancient colleagues who do not understand why you should not let people trample the evidence. | | 凶手 | xiōngshǒu | Murderer / culprit | The person everyone is looking for. 凶手是谁？(xiōngshǒu shì shéi, "who is the murderer?") is the question that drives every case arc. |
Learning Tip
Detective vocabulary is incredibly practical for daily life. 线索, 证据, 真相, and 现场 all appear frequently in news reports, workplace discussions, and even casual conversation when people are trying to figure something out. Guardians of the Dafeng gives you these words in a context dramatic enough to remember them permanently.
The Heaven and Earth Society (天地会) as a Language Learning Device
One of the cleverest elements of Guardians of the Dafeng is the Heaven and Earth Society (天地会), a secret organization whose nine members communicate through Earth Book Fragments (地书碎片) — magical jade pieces that display text. It is essentially an ancient group chat.
The members use numbered code names: 一号 (Number One) through 九号 (Number Nine). Xu Qi'an is 三号 (Number Three). Because they do not know each other's identities initially, each member writes in a distinctive style that reflects their background:
- 一号 (Number One) writes in terse, authoritative prose — every sentence sounds like an imperial command. This is high-register formal Chinese.
- 二号 (Number Two) is a Confucian scholar whose messages are peppered with literary allusions and classical grammar.
- 三号 (Number Three), Xu Qi'an, writes casually, sometimes dropping internet-era slang that confuses everyone else. His messages read like modern text messages.
- 四号 (Number Four) is an older scholar who writes in measured, pedagogical tones — like a patient teacher.
This creates a built-in register comparison. The same piece of news might be discussed by multiple members, each phrasing it differently based on their education, social class, and personality. For language learners, this is gold. You see the same information expressed formally, casually, academically, and bluntly — all within a few lines.
Watch for exchanges where one member misunderstands another's tone. When Xu Qi'an uses a modern expression and Number Two asks what it means, the ensuing explanation is essentially a vocabulary lesson embedded in the plot.
Cultural Concepts You Need to Know (文化概念)
Beyond individual vocabulary, four cultural concepts run through the entire drama. Understanding them unlocks not just the plot, but Chinese culture more broadly.
面子 (miànzi) — Face / Reputation
面子 is the social currency of the Dafeng court. Every political maneuver, every public confrontation, every alliance is shaped by who gains or loses 面子. When Xu Qi'an publicly embarrasses a corrupt official, the damage is not just reputational — it is structural. A person who has lost 面子 loses political allies, marriage prospects, and career advancement.
The drama shows both 给面子 (gěi miànzi, "giving face" — showing someone respect publicly) and 丢面子 (diū miànzi, "losing face"). Pay attention to how characters calculate the 面子 cost of every action.
江湖 (jiānghú) — The Martial World
Literally "rivers and lakes," 江湖 refers to the world outside government control — wandering martial artists, secret societies, bandits, and freelance cultivators. The 江湖 operates by its own rules, separate from the 朝堂 (court). Xu Qi'an, as a government official who also has 江湖 connections, constantly straddles these two worlds.
In modern Chinese, 江湖 is used metaphorically to describe any competitive, unregulated space. 人在江湖，身不由己 (rén zài jiānghú, shēn bù yóu jǐ) — "When you are in the jianghu, you cannot control your own fate" — is one of the most quoted Chinese phrases, and the drama demonstrates exactly what it means.
因果 (yīnguǒ) — Karma / Cause and Effect
Buddhist cultivators in the drama take 因果 literally. Every action creates a karmic debt that must be repaid. This is not abstract philosophy in Dafeng — it is a measurable force. A Buddhist monk who kills accumulates 因果 that weakens their cultivation. The drama uses this concept to create moral dilemmas: sometimes the right thing to do has devastating karmic consequences.
The word 因果 itself is useful far beyond the drama. In everyday Chinese, 因果关系 (yīnguǒ guānxì) means "causal relationship" and appears in academic writing, journalism, and daily conversation.
缘分 (yuánfèn) — Fate / Destined Connection
缘分 is the invisible thread that draws people together. Unlike Western "fate," which implies inevitability, 缘分 suggests that certain connections are predestined but must still be actively nurtured. The relationships in Guardians of the Dafeng — between Xu Qi'an and Princess Huaiqing, between the Heaven and Earth Society members, between master and disciple — are all framed as 缘分.
You will hear 有缘 (yǒu yuán, "we are fated to meet") and 缘分到了 (yuánfèn dào le, "the destined time has come") throughout Chinese dramas, songs, and daily life. It is one of those concepts that, once you understand it, you hear everywhere.
Your Study Plan
Here is how to use Guardians of the Dafeng as a structured Chinese learning tool:
Week 1-2: Watch with native-language subtitles. Focus on the court vocabulary. Every time you hear 陛下, 大人, or 圣旨, note the context.
Week 3-4: Switch to Chinese subtitles with your language as backup. Focus on the investigation vocabulary — these words are the most practical for modern Chinese use.
Week 5-6: Watch the Heaven and Earth Society scenes without subtitles. Their text-based communication is essentially written Chinese at a slow, readable pace.
Ongoing: Start the novel on Qidian or the audiobook on Ximalaya. The first arc corresponds to Season 1 of the drama, so you already know the plot — which means you can focus entirely on language.
Xu Qi'an learned to survive in the Dafeng Dynasty by mastering two registers of Chinese. You can use his journey to do the same thing — minus the life-threatening court politics and the tribulation lightning.
More in This Series
- The Real History Behind Guardians of the Dafeng
- 10 Chinese Idioms & Classical Quotes Every Fan Should Know
- Xu Qi'an Character Study & Idioms
- The Cultivation Systems Explained: Confucians, Daoists & Buddhists
Keep learning: HSK Vocabulary Lists | Common Chinese Phrases | Chinese Internet Slang | Chinese Idioms for Students
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