伤筋动骨

傷筋動骨

shāngjīn-dònggǔ

idiom

Meanings

1 to injure tendons and bones
2 (literal) to suffer serious physical injury; (figurative) to take a major hit, sustain serious damage

Characters

to move; affect

Examples

HSK 7-9

他从楼梯上摔下来，幸好没伤筋动骨。

Tā cóng lóutī shàng shuāi xiàlái, xìnghǎo méi shāngjīn-dònggǔ.

He fell down the stairs, but luckily nothing was seriously broken.

HSK 7-9

这次裁员对公司来说是伤筋动骨。

Zhècì cáiyuán duì gōngsī láishuō shì shāngjīn-dònggǔ.

This round of layoffs is a serious blow to the company.

Tips

history

From the Yuan zaju 《蝴蝶梦》, second act: 打得来伤筋动骨，更疼似悬头刺股 - beaten until tendon and bone are damaged, more painful than the famous classical self-discipline ordeals.

usage

The figurative use (major institutional damage) is now common in news writing about reforms, restructurings, and layoffs.

Stroke Order

伤 shāng

筋 jīn

动 dòng

骨 gǔ