筚路蓝缕

篳路藍縷

bìlù-lánlǚ

idiom

Meanings

1 in a brushwood cart and ragged clothes
2 to endure great hardships in pioneering an undertaking

Characters

wicker; brushwood (cart)

road; here: vehicle

ragged; tattered (here)

thread; tatters

Examples

HSK 7-9

公司创立初期，创始人筚路蓝缕，吃了不少苦。

Gōngsī chuànglì chūqī, chuàngshǐrén bìlù-lánlǚ, chī le bùshǎo kǔ.

In the company's early days, the founders endured many hardships building it from scratch.

HSK 7-9

我们的前辈筚路蓝缕，才有了今天的成就。

Wǒmen de qiánbèi bìlù-lánlǚ, cái yǒule jīntiān de chéngjiù.

Our predecessors blazed the trail through great hardships, which is why we have today's achievements.

Tips

history

From the 左传 (Xuan 12): 筚路蓝缕，以启山林 - 'In brushwood carts and rags, they opened up mountain and forest.' Originally describing the hardship of founding the state of Chu.

register

Highly literary - common in formal speeches, history books, and tributes to founders or pioneers. Don't use for everyday struggles; reserve for genuine pioneering efforts.

Stroke Order

筚 bì

路 lù

蓝 lán

缕 lǚ