投笔从戎
tóu bǐ cóng róng
to lay down the pen and take up the sword; to leave study or a desk job to join the army
Character by character
投tóu
throw down
throw down
笔bǐ
brush
brush
从cóng
join
join
戎róng
army
army
Example
抗战爆发以后，不少青年学生投笔从戎，奔赴前线。
When the War of Resistance broke out, many young students left their books and went to the front.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From the 后汉书: 班超, working as a copyist, threw down his brush and said a real man should win honour in far lands rather than spend his life with brush and inkstone; he went on to serve in the Western Regions. Formal and admiring, said of students and intellectuals who enlist.
Learn this in Lesson 202 · HSK 7–9: 参军 (Joining the army)
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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