"Pī jīng zhǎn jí" literally means to push aside the dense thorns and cut through the prickly bushes blocking the way. It originates from the "Biography of Feng Yi" in the Book of the Later Han. Feng Yi, a famous general of the Eastern Han Dynasty, fought for Emperor Guangwu, Liu Xiu. He often took the lead, clearing thorns and opening the way for the army. Later, it came to be used metaphorically to mean clearing away numerous obstacles and overcoming all kinds of difficulties on the road ahead, pressing forward bravely. This idiom embodies fearless courage and tenacious perseverance, and is often used to describe scenarios requiring a pioneering spirit, such as entrepreneurship, scientific research, and reform. It carries a strongly positive connotation, praising those pioneers who fear no hardship or danger and dare to be the first. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the traditional virtue of the Chinese nation—ceaseless self-improvement and the courage to face difficulties head-on. In usage, it often serves as a predicate, attributive, or adverbial, for example, "a pioneer who clears thorns and cuts through brambles" or "He cleared thorns and cut through brambles all the way and finally succeeded."
📝 Example
1. On the path of technological innovation, researchers have braved the brambles and thorns, overcoming one technical challenge after another.
2. He started from scratch, braving the brambles and thorns, and spent ten years building a listed company.