半壁江山

bànbì-jiāngshān

idiom #53,996

Meanings

1 half of the country's territory
2 a major portion (of territory or influence)
3 a significant share of a domain

Characters

江山 = rivers and mountains = the country's territory.

Examples

HSK 6

宋朝南渡后只剩半壁江山。

Sòng cháo nán dù hòu zhǐ shèng bànbì-jiāngshān.

After the Song court fled south, only half the country remained.

HSK 6

这家公司占据了国内市场的半壁江山。

Zhè jiā gōngsī zhànjù le guónèi shìchǎng de bànbì-jiāngshān.

This company holds half of the domestic market.

HSK 6

女性撑起了行业的半壁江山。

Nǚxìng chēng qǐ le hángyè de bànbì-jiāngshān.

Women hold up half the sky in this industry.

Tips

history

From Jiang Shiquan's Qing-dynasty drama 冬青树: 半壁江山，比五季朝廷尤小, 'half the territory, smaller still than the courts of the Five Dynasties'. Originally mourned the Southern Song's reduced realm after losing the north.

usage

Historically: territory lost to invasion. Figuratively today: a dominant share of a market, an industry, or any 'domain'. Modern usage is often metaphorical rather than about actual land.

Stroke Order

半 bàn

壁 bì

江 jiāng

山 shān