项庄舞剑，意在沛公

xiàng zhuāng wǔ jiàn , yì zài pèi gōng

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Definitions

  1. 1. lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[liú bāng] (idiom); refers to 206 BC plot to murder Liu Bang, aka Duke of Pei 沛公[pèi gōng] and the future Han emperor, during a sword dance at the Hongmen feast 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[hóng mén yàn]
  2. 2. an elaborate deception to hide malicious intent

Child Words of 项庄舞剑，意在沛公

公
gōng

public

剑
jiàn

double-edged sword

在
zài

to exist; to be alive

舞
wǔ

to dance

项
xiàng

back of neck

意
yì

idea

沛
pèi

copious

沛公
pèi gōng

Duke of Pei (i.e. 劉邦|刘邦[liú bāng])

舞剑
wǔ jiàn

to perform a sword-dance

庄
zhuāng

farmstead

项庄舞剑
xiàng zhuāng wǔ jiàn

lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[liú bāng] (idiom, refers to plot to kill Liu Bang during the Hongmen feast 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[hóng mén yàn] in 206 BC)