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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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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

堅壁清野 · find source passages ↗ · 坚壁清野 · find source passages ↗

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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.

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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

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