桀骜不驯

桀驁不馴

jié'ào-bùxùn

idiom #58,131

Meanings

HSK 5

这匹马桀骜不驯，没人骑得了。

Zhè pǐ mǎ jié'àobùxùn, méi rén qí deliǎo.

This horse is wild and untamable - no one can ride it.

HSK 7-9

他性格桀骜不驯，很难管教。

Tā xìnggé jié'àobùxùn, hěn nán guǎnjiào.

His personality is defiant and hard to rein in.

history

First recorded in 《汉书·匈奴传赞》, describing the Xiongnu as unyielding to Han authority.

memory

桀 (Jié) was the infamously tyrannical last king of Xia - the character itself evokes wild, violent stubbornness.

桀 Jié

骜 ào

不 bù

驯 xùn