养兵千日，用在一朝

Traditional form:

養兵千日，用在一朝

Pinyin (reading):

yǎngbīngqiānrì,yòngzàiyīzhāo

Definitions:

• lit. train an army for a thousand days to use it for one morning (idiom)
• fig. extensive preparation eventually pays off

Characters:

• 养 - to raise, to rear, to bring up; to support
• 兵 - soldier; troops, an army; warlike
• 千 - thousand; many, numerous; very
• 日 - sun; day; daytime
• 用 - to use, to employ, to apply; use
• 在 - at, in, on; to exist; used to indicate the present progressive tense
• 一 - one; a, an; alone
• 朝 - to face; direct, facing; dynasty; morning

Traditional characters:

• 養 - to raise, to rear, to bring up; to support
• 兵 - soldier; troops, an army; warlike
• 千 - thousand; many, numerous; very
• 日 - sun; day; daytime
• 用 - to use, to employ, to apply; use
• 在 - at, in, on; to exist; used to indicate the present progressive tense
• 一 - one; a, an; alone
• 朝 - to face; direct, facing; dynasty; morning