万国来朝
wàn guó lái cháo
envoys from every land come to pay homage; a power at its height
Character by character
万wàn
ten thousand
ten thousand
国guó
states
states
来lái
come
come
朝cháo
pay court
pay court
Example
唐朝最强大的时候，长安城里到处是外国使者和商人，真是万国来朝。
At the height of the Tang, Chang’an was full of foreign envoys and merchants: all nations came to pay homage.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
朝 is cháo here, to attend court, as in 朝廷 and 朝贡. Used of an empire at the height of its power and prestige; sometimes said with irony, of homage that was bought or only for show.
Learn this in Lesson 97 · HSK 6–7: 郑和下西洋 (Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Ocean)
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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