剑拔弩张
Traditional form:
劍拔弩張
Pinyin (reading):
jiànbánǔzhāng
Definitions:
- lit. with swords drawn and bows bent (idiom); fig. a state of mutual hostility
- at daggers drawn
Characters:
- 剑 - sword, dagger, saber
- 拔 - to uproot, to pull out; to select, to promote
- 弩 - crossbow; an arrow falling, a downward stroke
- 张 - to display; to expand, to open; to stretch; a sheet of paper
Traditional characters: