various states; feudal states; warring states
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
various coexisting states (esp. during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods); feudal states
literaryHistorically refers to the multiple feudal states that existed during the Spring and Autumn (770–476 BCE) and Warring States (475–221 BCE) periods. Commonly appears in the idiom 周游列国 (traveled to various states), describing Confucius's journey to promote his philosophy.
Chūn春
qiū秋
zhàn战
guó国
shí时
qī期
，
liè列
guó国
zhēng争
bà霸
，
zhàn战
luàn乱
bù不
xiū休
。
During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, various states competed for hegemony and warfare never ceased.
Kǒng孔
zǐ子
shuài率
lǐng领
dì弟
zǐ子
zhōu周
yóu游
liè列
guó国
，
xuān宣
yáng扬
rú儒
jiā家
sī思
xiǎng想
。
Confucius led his disciples to travel among the various states, promoting Confucian thought.
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《
Liè列
guó国
Zhì志
》
shì是
yī一
bù部
miáo描
xiě写
chūn春
qiū秋
zhàn战
guó国
lì历
shǐ史
de的
xiǎo小
shuō说
。
Records of the States is a novel depicting the history of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
Zài在
nà那
gè个
liè列
guó国
fēn纷
zhēng争
de的
shí时
dài代
，
wài外
jiāo交
cè策
lüè略
yóu尤
wéi为
zhòng重
yào要
。
In that era of contention among the various states, diplomatic strategy was particularly important.