霸王别姬

霸王別姬

bàwáng-biéjī

idiom

Meanings

1 the Conqueror bids farewell to his concubine
2 (fig.) a heroic, tragic parting on the brink of defeat

Characters

hegemon; overlord

concubine; beauty

Examples

HSK 7-9

老板一意孤行，结果上演了一场霸王别姬。

Lǎobǎn yíyì-gūxíng, jiéguǒ shàngyǎn le yī chǎng bàwáng-biéjī.

The boss pushed ahead alone, and the result was a full 'Farewell My Concubine.'

HSK 7-9

今晚京剧团上演经典剧目《霸王别姬》。

Jīnwǎn Jīngjùtuán shàngyǎn jīngdiǎn jùmù 《 Bàwáng-biéjī 》.

Tonight the Peking Opera troupe is performing the classic 'Farewell My Concubine.'

HSK 7-9

公司创始人被董事会逼走，颇有霸王别姬的悲壮。

Gōngsī chuàngshǐrén bèi dǒngshìhuì bī zǒu, pō yǒu bàwáng-biéjī de bēizhuàng.

The founder was forced out by the board, with something of the tragic grandeur of Xiang Yu's farewell.

Tips

history

From 《史记·项羽本纪》: as Chu king Xiang Yu is surrounded by Liu Bang's forces at Gaixia, he drinks a final cup with his concubine Yu Ji before his breakout. The scene - the doomed hero, the loyal concubine, the last song - became a set piece of Chinese literature and Peking opera.

culture

The 1993 Chen Kaige film 《霸王别姬》 won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Separately, 霸王别姬 is also the name of a famous Huaiyang dish (braised turtle with chicken) - worth knowing if you see it on a menu.

Stroke Order

霸 bà

王 wáng

别 bié

姬 jī