破釜沉舟 in English po4 fu3 chen2 zhou1 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) to break the cauldrons and sink the boats (idiomatic expression); metaphorically to cut off one's means of retreat
  • to burn one's boats

Simplified Characters

破 釜 沉 舟

Traditional Characters

破 釜 沉 舟

Pinyin

po4 fu3 chen2 zhou1

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

破po4broken 釜fu3kettle 沉chen2see 黑沉沉[hei1 chen1 chen1] 舟zhou1boat