闻鸡起舞

聞雞起舞

wénjī-qǐwǔ

idiom

Meanings

1 to rise at cockcrow to practice the sword
2 to train with determination

Characters

to dance (with a sword)

Examples

HSK 5

为了准备比赛，他闻鸡起舞，每天五点就起床训练。

Wèile zhǔnbèi bǐsài, tā wénjī-qǐwǔ, měitiān wǔ diǎn jiù qǐchuáng xùnliàn.

To prepare for the competition he rises with the rooster, getting up at five every day to train.

HSK 7-9

祖逖和刘琨年轻时闻鸡起舞，立志报效国家。

Zǔ Tì hé Liú Kūn niánqīng shí wénjī-qǐwǔ, lìzhì bàoxiào guójiā.

In their youth, Zu Ti and Liu Kun rose at cockcrow to practice the sword, determined to serve their country.

Tips

history

From the 《晋书》: 祖逖 and his friend 刘琨 heard a rooster crow in the middle of the night; Zu Ti kicked Liu Kun awake and the two got up to practice swordplay, preparing for the day they could serve their country. 舞 here is the sword dance, not ordinary dancing.

Stroke Order

闻 wén

鸡 jī

起 qǐ

舞 wǔ