Dictionary › 下马威

下马威

xià mǎ wēi

3-character word Traditional 下馬威

What 下马威 means

1. display of severity immediately on taking office
2. (fig.) initial show of strength

The characters in 下马威

• 下xiàdown; downwards; below
• 马mǎhorse; horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess; knight in Western chess
• 威wēipower; might; prestige

Go deeper

• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read xià mǎ wēi correctly.
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