highwayman; bandit
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
highwayman; bandit; brigand (in former times, who fired a whistling arrow before robbing)
archaicHistorical term referring to bandits who operated on roads and typically fired a whistling arrow (响箭) as a signal before attacking. The practice gave rise to the name. Common in classical Chinese literature and historical accounts of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Zhè这
tiáo条
lù路
yǐ以
qián前
cháng常
yǒu有
xiǎng响
mǎ马
chū出
mò没
，
xiàn现
zài在
ān安
quán全
duō多
le了
。
Bandits used to roam this road frequently in the past, but it is much safer now.
Tā他
yǐ以
qián前
shì是
gè个
xiǎng响
mǎ马
，
hòu后
lái来
gǎi改
xié邪
guī归
zhèng正
le了
。
He used to be a highwayman, but later mended his ways.
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Xiǎo小
shuō说
lǐ里
miáo描
xiě写
le了
yī一
qún群
xiǎng响
mǎ马
jié劫
fù富
jì济
pín贫
de的
gù故
shi事
。
The novel depicts a story about a group of bandits who robbed the rich to help the poor.
Xiǎng响
mǎ马
shì是
jiù旧
shè社
huì会
de的
chǎn产
wù物
，
xiàn现
zài在
yǐ已
jīng经
bù不
cún存
zài在
le了
。
Highwaymen were a product of old society and no longer exist today.