Definition
半壁江山 is a formal four-character idiom from classical literature, meaning 'half of the country's land' or 'a large portion of territory'. Historically it referred to the part of a country that remained unconquered or was held after division, often in the context of invasion or civil war. It is used in political, historical, and literary contexts, not in everyday conversation.
f.e.
half of the country's territory (often the part still held after invasion or division)
Examples
- ，半壁江山。Nà chǎng zhànzhēng hòu, zhège wángcháo shīqù le bàn bì jiāng shān.After that war, the dynasty lost half of its territory.
- 半壁江山，。Bǎozhù zhè bàn bì jiāng shān, cái yǒu kěnéng dōngshān zàiqǐ.Only by holding onto this half of the country can there be a chance to stage a comeback.
- 半壁江山，。Suīrán zhǐ zhànlǐng le bàn bì jiāng shān, dàn díjūn yǐjīng wúlì jìxù jìngōng.Although the enemy only occupied half the territory, they were already unable to continue their offensive.
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