投笔从戎

投筆從戎

tóubǐ-cóngróng

idiom

Meanings

1 to throw down the pen and join the army
2 to leave one's studies for a military career

Characters

pen; writing brush

to join; to follow

army; military affairs

Examples

HSK 7-9

抗战爆发后，许多青年学生投笔从戎。

Kàngzhàn bàofā hòu, xǔduō qīngnián xuésheng tóubǐ-cóngróng.

After the War of Resistance broke out, many young students put down their pens and joined the army.

HSK 7-9

他本来是个书生，国家危难之际毅然投笔从戎。

Tā běnlái shì ge shūshēng, guójiā wēinàn zhījì yìrán tóubǐ-cóngróng.

He had been a scholar, but when the country was in danger he resolutely threw down his pen and enlisted.

Tips

history

From the biography of 班超 in the 《后汉书》. A poor copyist in government service, he threw down his brush and sighed that a real man should win merit on the frontier instead of spending his life among brushes and inkstones. He went on to serve for thirty years as a general in the Western Regions.

Stroke Order

投 tóu

笔 bǐ

从 cóng

戎 róng