而今迈步从头越

而今邁步從頭越

érjīnmàibùcóngtóuyuè

phrase

Meanings

1 today we stride over it and start anew
2 to press onward, beginning again from the start

Characters

(classical connective)

beginning (从头 = anew)

Examples

雄关漫道真如铁，而今迈步从头越。

Xióng guān màn dào zhēn rú tiě, ér jīn mài bù cóng tóu yuè.

Don't say the great pass is truly iron — today we stride over it and start anew.

改革开放四十年，如今要而今迈步从头越，继续深化。

Gǎigé kāifàng sìshí nián, rújīn yào ér jīn mài bù cóng tóu yuè, jìxù shēnhuà.

Forty years into Reform and Opening — now we must stride forward anew and deepen it further.

Tips

history

From Mao Zedong's 1935 ci-poem 《忆秦娥·娄山关》, celebrating the Red Army's recapture of Loushan Pass during the Long March: 雄关漫道真如铁，而今迈步从头越。从头越，苍山如海，残阳如血 — 'Don't say the pass is iron; today we stride over it and begin anew. Begin anew — the dark mountains are a sea, the setting sun the color of blood.'

usage

A go-to quotation for political and business speeches about a 'new start' on an old difficulty. Almost always follows 雄关漫道真如铁.

Stroke Order

而 ér

今 jīn

迈 mài

步 bù

从 cóng

头 tóu

越 yuè