DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

恃強凌弱

简恃强凌弱 · 繁恃強凌弱

Mandarin · pinyin shì qiáng líng ruò

see 恃強欺弱 shì qiáng qī ruò

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

恃: shì · rely on, presume on, trust to
強: qiáng · strong, powerful, energetic
凌: líng · pure; virtuous; insult; maltreat
弱: ruò · weak; fragile, delicate
强: qiáng · strong, powerful, energetic

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

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

4–2–2–4 · shi4 qiang2 ling2 ruo4

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

5character links1source reference

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

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.

恃強凌弱 · find source passages ↗ · 恃强凌弱 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ci5 koeng4 ling4 joek6

Cantonese word readings for 恃強凌弱. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

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

phrase

(idiomatic) to use one's strength to bully the weak; bullying

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

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