lament to heaven and knock one's head on earth; cry out in extreme grief
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to cry out to heaven and bang one's head on the ground; to bewail in extreme grief
literaryA classical four-character idiom describing exaggerated gestures of mourning—calling out to heaven and striking the ground with one's head. The character 抢 is pronounced qiāng (first tone) here, meaning 'to bump against', not qiǎng (third tone). Used to convey overwhelming sorrow, often in literary or formal contexts.
Upon hearing the tragic news, the old man cried out to heaven and beat his head on the ground, overcome with grief.
She wept so bitterly, crying to heaven and knocking her head on the earth, that even bystanders could not hold back their tears.
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In ancient times, when a family member died, the bereaved would often cry out to heaven and knock their heads on the ground to demonstrate their sorrow.