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鋌而走險

简铤而走险 · 繁鋌而走險

Mandarin · pinyin tǐng ér zǒu xiǎn

(idiom) to take a risk out of desperation

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Characters in this entry

鋌: Look up this written character
而: ér · and; and then; and yet; but; Kangxi radical 126
走: zǒu · walk, go on foot; run; leave; Kangxi radical 156
險: Look up this written character
铤: tǐng · ingots, bars of metal; hurry
险: xiǎn · narrow pass, strategic point

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

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Mandarin tones

3–2–3–3 · ting3 er2 zou3 xian3

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4character links1same-tone record

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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.

鋌而走險 · find source passages ↗ · 铤而走险 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ting5 ji4 zau2 him2

Cantonese word readings for 鋌而走險. 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 act recklessly out of desperation; to take a desperate gamble

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

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