残兵败将 cán bīng bài jiàng scattered and defeated troops

Explanation

残余的军队，失败的将领。形容战败的部队。

The remaining troops and defeated generals. It describes the defeated troops.

Origin Story

话说三国时期，蜀汉丞相诸葛亮率大军北伐，与魏军在五丈原展开激战。蜀军装备精良，将士勇猛，一度将魏军打得溃不成军。然而，魏军主将司马懿凭借险要地势，坚守不出，以逸待劳，蜀军久攻不下，粮草逐渐匮乏。诸葛亮无奈之下，只得下令撤军。蜀军撤军途中，遭到魏军追击，损失惨重，不少将士阵亡，剩下的只是一些残兵败将，狼狈不堪地退回汉中。此役之后，蜀军元气大伤，再也无力继续北伐。诸葛亮也因积劳成疾，不久病逝于五丈原。这段历史故事完美地诠释了“残兵败将”的含义，体现了战争的残酷性和胜负的偶然性。

huà shuō sān guó shí qī, shǔ hàn chéng xiàng zhū gě liàng shuài dà jūn běi fá, yǔ wèi jūn zài wǔ zhàng yuán zhǎn kāi jī zhàn. shǔ jūn zhuāng bèi jīng liáng, jiàng shì yǒng měng, yīdù jiāng wèi jūn dǎ de kuì bù chéng jūn. rán ér, wèi jūn zhǔ jiāng sī mǎ yì píng jiè xiǎn yào dì shì, jiān shǒu bù chū, yǐ yì dài láo, shǔ jūn jiǔ gōng bù xià, liáng cǎo zhú jiàn kuì fá. zhū gě liàng wú nài zhī xià, zhǐ děi xià lìng chè jūn. shǔ jūn chè jūn tú zhōng, zāo dào wèi jūn zhuī jī, sǔn shī cǎn zhòng, bù shǎo jiàng shì zhèn wáng, shèng xià de zhǐ shì yī xiē cán bīng bài jiàng, láng bèi bù kān de tuì huí hàn zhōng. cǐ yì zhī hòu, shǔ jūn yuán qì dà shāng, zài yě wú lì jìxù běi fá. zhū gě liàng yě yīn jī láo chéng jí, bù jiǔ bìng shì yú wǔ zhàng yuán. zhè duàn lì shǐ gù shì wán měi dì qiǎn shì le "cán bīng bài jiàng" de hán yì, tí xiàn le zhàn zhēng de cán kù xìng hé shèng fù de ǒu rán xìng.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of Shu Han, led a large army on a northern expedition and fought a fierce battle with the Wei army at Wuzhang Plain. The Shu army was well-equipped and the soldiers were brave. They once drove the Wei army into a chaotic rout. However, Sima Yi, the commander of the Wei army, took advantage of the favorable terrain and stubbornly refused to come out, waiting for the Shu army to exhaust itself. The Shu army could not make a breakthrough despite long attacks, and its supplies gradually dwindled. With no choice, Zhuge Liang ordered his troops to retreat. On the way back, the Shu army was pursued by the Wei army and suffered heavy losses. Many soldiers died, and only a small number of scattered and defeated troops returned to Hanzhong in disgrace. After this battle, the Shu army was severely weakened and no longer able to continue the northern expedition. Zhuge Liang also died of illness in Wuzhang Plain shortly thereafter. This historical story perfectly illustrates the meaning of "scattered and defeated troops" and highlights the cruelty and chance of war.

Usage

用于形容战败的军队或势力，多用于书面语。

yòng yú xíngróng zhànbài de jūnduì huò shì lì, duō yòng yú shūmiàn yǔ

Used to describe defeated troops or forces; mostly used in written language.

Examples

• 面对敌人的残兵败将，我军士气高涨，势如破竹。

  miànduì dírén de cánbīng bài jiàng, wǒ jūn shìqì gāozhǎng, shì rú pò zhú

  Facing the enemy's scattered and defeated troops, our army's morale was high, and they fought like a breakthrough of dams.

• 经过激烈的战斗，敌军已成残兵败将，溃不成军。

  jīngguò jīliè de zhàndòu, dījūn yǐ chéng cánbīng bài jiàng, kuì bù chéng jūn

  After fierce battles, the enemy troops had become scattered and defeated troops, unable to form themselves into a unit

Related Idioms

• 散兵游勇

• 残军败将

Opposite Idioms

• 锐不可当