Definition
擎天柱 literally means 'a pillar that holds up the sky' — a vivid metaphor from ancient Chinese mythology. In modern usage it refers to a person who plays an irreplaceable, stabilizing role in an organization, cause, or enterprise, similar to 'mainstay' or 'pillar' in English. The word carries a strong sense of responsibility and leadership, often used in formal or respectful contexts.
n.
mainstaypillar (of a cause, organization, or enterprise)the most important leader or backbone of a group
Examples
- 擎天柱，。Tā shì wǒmen gōngsī de qíng tiān zhù, méiyǒu tā gōngsī zǎo jiù dǎobì le.He is the pillar of our company; without him, the company would have gone bankrupt long ago.
- 擎天柱，。Zhè wèi lǎo jiāngjūn shì jūnduì de qíng tiān zhù, shēn shòu shìbīng àidài.This old general is the mainstay of the army, deeply loved by the soldiers.
- ，擎天柱。Zài kùnnán shíqī, tā chéng le zhěng gè jiāzú de qíng tiān zhù.During difficult times, she became the pillar of the entire family.
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