投笔从戎

Traditional form:

投筆從戎

Pinyin (reading):

tóubǐcóngróng

Definitions:

• to lay down the pen and take up the sword (idiom)
• to join the military (esp. of educated person)

Characters:

• 投 - to pitch, to throw; to bid, to invest
• 笔 - pen, pencil, writing brush; to compose, to write; Hanzi stroke
• 从 - from, by, since, whence, through
• 戎 - arms, armaments; military affairs

Traditional characters:

• 投 - to pitch, to throw; to bid, to invest
• 筆 - pen, pencil, writing brush; to compose, to write; Hanzi stroke
• 從 - from, by, since, whence, through
• 戎 - arms, armaments; military affairs