八王之乱

八王之亂

Bāwáng zhī Luàn

proper noun

Meanings

1 War of the Eight Princes (291–306), a civil war among princes of the Sima clan that wrecked the Western Jin dynasty

Characters

rebellion; chaos

Examples

HSK 7-9

八王之乱让西晋的国力大大削弱。

Bāwáng zhī Luàn ràng Xījìn de guólì dàdà xuēruò.

The War of the Eight Princes greatly weakened the Western Jin.

HSK 7-9

八王之乱打了十六年，北方的匈奴等民族趁机起兵。

Bāwáng zhī Luàn dǎ le shíliù nián, běifāng de Xiōngnú děng mínzú chènjī qǐbīng.

The War of the Eight Princes dragged on for sixteen years, and the Xiongnu and other northern peoples seized the chance to rise in arms.

Tips

history

After 司马炎 died, his son 晋惠帝 Emperor Hui of Jin was unfit to rule. Empress 贾南风 and eight Sima princes fought each other for control of the court, draining the Jin armies and opening the way to the 永嘉之乱 of 311. Emperor Hui is remembered for asking, when told the people had no grain, 何不食肉糜 'why don't they eat minced meat?'

usage

Together with the 七国之乱, it is said in a popular story to lie behind the 七 and 八 of 乱七八糟 'a total mess'.

Stroke Order

八 bā

王 wáng

之 zhī

乱 luàn