项庄舞剑，意在沛公
Traditional form:
項莊舞劍，意在沛公
Pinyin (reading):
Xiàng Zhuāngwǔjiàn,yìzài Pèigōng
Definitions:
- lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦／刘邦 ( Liú Bāng) (idiom); refers to 206 BC plot to murder Liu Bang, aka Duke of Pei 沛公 ( Pèigōng) and the future Han emperor, during a sword dance at the Hongmen feast 鴻門宴／鸿门宴 ( Hóngményàn)
- an elaborate deception to hide malicious intent
Characters:
- 项 - neck, nape; item; a term in an equation
- 庄 - village, hamlet; villa, manor
- 舞 - to dance; to brandish
- 剑 - sword, dagger, saber
- 意 - thought, idea, opinion; desire, wish; meaning, intention
- 在 - at, in, on; to exist; used to indicate the present progressive tense
- 沛 - abundant, copious, full
- 公 - fair, equitable; public; duke
Traditional characters:
- 項 - neck, nape; item; a term in an equation
- 莊 - village, hamlet; villa, manor
- 舞 - to dance; to brandish
- 劍 - sword, dagger, saber
- 意 - thought, idea, opinion; desire, wish; meaning, intention
- 在 - at, in, on; to exist; used to indicate the present progressive tense
- 沛 - abundant, copious, full
- 公 - fair, equitable; public; duke