文治武功

wén zhì wǔ gōng

achievements in both government and war

Character by character

文wén
civil

治zhì
rule

武wǔ
military

功gōng
merit

说起唐太宗的文治武功，历史学家大多评价很高。

When it comes to Tang Taizong’s achievements in government and war, most historians rate him very highly.

Tone: positive (praise).

文治 is civil rule (laws, learning, the arts); 武功 is military success. Formal, and used only of rulers or dynasties, never of ordinary people.

Learn this in Lesson 99 · HSK 6–7: 康乾盛世 (The High Qing of Kangxi and Qianlong)

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.