瞎火兵

xiāhuǒbīng

phrase

Meanings

1 a 'dud-shell soldier'
2 a fighter who has lost all combat ability
3 a useless, washed-up hand

Characters

Examples

HSK 2

这点事都办不成，真成了瞎火兵。

Zhè diǎn shì dōu bàn bu chéng, zhēn chéng le xiāhuǒbīng.

If he can't even handle a task this small, he really has become a dud.

HSK 7-9

伤了腰之后，他自嘲成了个瞎火兵。

Shāng le yāo zhīhòu, tā zìcháo chéng le ge xiāhuǒbīng.

After injuring his back, he joked about having become a spent-shell soldier.

Tips

memory

瞎火 is a dud shell - one that won't fire. A 瞎火兵 is a soldier no longer fit to shoot back. Pointed military image, now used more broadly for someone who's lost their edge.

Stroke Order

瞎 xiā

火 huǒ

兵 bīng