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杯酒释兵权

bēi jiǔ shì bīng quán

5-character word Traditional 杯酒釋兵權

What 杯酒释兵权 means

1. to dismiss military hierarchy using wine cups
2. cf Song founding Emperor Song Taizu 宋太祖 holds a banquet in 961 and persuades his senior army commanders to go home to their provinces

The characters in 杯酒释兵权

• 杯bēicup; trophy cup; classifier for certain containers of liquids: glass, cup
• 酒jiǔwine (esp. rice wine); liquor; spirits
• 释shìto explain; to release; Buddha (abbr. for 释迦牟尼
• 兵bīngsoldiers; a force; an army
• 权quánauthority; power; right