下馬威

下馬威

Chinese

		to dismount from one's horse; to fall from one's horse	power; might; prestige
trad. (下馬威)		下馬	威
simp. (下马威)		下马	威
Literally: “dignity of dismounting from the horse”.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xiàmǎwēi

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄨㄟ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): haa⁶ maa⁵ wai¹
• Min Nan (POJ): hā-má-ui

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: xiàmǎwēi
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄨㄟ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiahmaauei
    • IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ä⁵¹ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ u̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: haa⁶ maa⁵ wai¹
    • Yale: hah máh wāi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: haa⁶ maa⁵ wai¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: ha⁶ ma⁵ wei¹
    • IPA ^(key): /häː²² mäː¹³ wɐi̯⁵⁵/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hā-má-ui
    • Tâi-lô: hā-má-ui
    • Phofsit Daibuun: haxmafuy
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ha²²⁻²¹ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ui⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ha⁴¹⁻²² mã⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ ui³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ha²²⁻²¹ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ui⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /ha³³⁻¹¹ mã⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ui⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ha³³⁻²¹ mã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ui⁴⁴/

Noun

下馬威

1. (figuratively, historical) display of power immediately upon assuming office (in order to warn against insubordination)
2. (figuratively) initial show of strength; display of strength at the first encounter

Derived terms

打下馬威／打下马威