铜墙铁壁
铜墙铁壁 (tóng qiáng tiě bì) literally means “copper wall iron wall” and expresses “impenetrable defense”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: tong qiang tie bi, tong qiang tie bi,铜墙铁壁 meaning, 铜墙铁壁 in english
Impenetrable defense
Pronunciation: tóng qiáng tiě bì Literal meaning: Copper wall iron wall
Origin & Usage
Walls (墙) of bronze (铜) and ramparts (壁) of iron (铁). The phrase belongs to vernacular fiction and describes fortification that cannot be breached. What is worth noticing is how readily Chinese moves it off physical defences: it is used of an alibi with no hole in it, of a bureaucracy that cannot be got past, and — most commonly in modern political language — of a population described as an unbreachable wall, where the metal is people rather than masonry.
Examples
English: "Their defenses were so strong that no enemy could breach them."
Chinese: 他们的防御如铜墙铁壁，敌人无法攻破。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
隔墙有耳
gé qiáng yǒu ěr
Be discreet
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金戈铁马
jīn gē tiě mǎ
Magnificent military might and valor
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铁证如山
tiě zhèng rú shān
Irrefutable evidence; conclusive proof
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凿壁偷光
záo bì tōu guāng
Study despite poverty
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悬崖峭壁
xuán yá qiào bì
Daunting challenges
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半壁江山
bàn bì jiāng shān
Partial loss or retention
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铁杵成针
tiě chǔ chéng zhēn
Success through persistence
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斩钉截铁
zhǎn dīng jié tiě
Decisively and firmly without hesitation
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 铜墙铁壁 mean in English?
铜墙铁壁 (tóng qiáng tiě bì) literally translates to “Copper wall iron wall” and is used to express “Impenetrable defense”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 铜墙铁壁 used?
Situation: Their defenses were so strong that no enemy could breach them.
What is the pinyin for 铜墙铁壁?
The pinyin pronunciation for 铜墙铁壁 is “tóng qiáng tiě bì”.