桀骜不驯

桀驁不馴

jié'ào-bùxùn

idiom #58,131

Meanings

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.

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