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堅壁清野

简坚壁清野 · 繁堅壁清野

Mandarin · pinyin jiān bì qīng yě

to fortify defenses and raze the fields (idiom); to leave nothing for the invader
scorched earth policy

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Characters in this entry

堅: Look up this written character
壁: bì · partition wall; walls of a house; 14th lunar mansion, determinative star γ Pegasi (Algenib)
清: qīng · clear, pure, clean; peaceful
野: yě · open country, field; wilderness
坚: jiān · hard, strong, firm; resolute

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–4–1–3 · jian1 bi4 qing1 ye3

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

gin1 bik1 cing1 je5

Cantonese word readings for 堅壁清野. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

gin1 bik1 cing1 je5

Pleco · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Word reading; meanings not aligned.

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to fortify defences and evacuate all civilians and supplies
(by extension) scorched-earth policy

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack