固若金汤
gù ruò jīn tāng
impregnable; impossible to break through
Character by character
固gù
solid
solid
若ruò
as
as
金jīn
metal walls
metal walls
汤tāng
boiling moat
boiling moat
Example
这支球队的防守固若金汤，整个赛季只丢了五个球。
This team’s defence was impregnable: it let in only five goals all season.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
金汤 is short for 金城汤池 (Hanshu): walls of metal and a moat of boiling water. Said of city walls and fortresses, and today of defences in sport or computer security.
Learn this in Lesson 96 · HSK 6–7: 从乞丐到皇帝：明朝 (From beggar to emperor: the Ming)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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