bun3 bik1 gong1 saan1半壁江山
Jyutpingbun3 bik1 gong1 saan1
Yalebun bīk gōng sāan
Definition
Half of a territory, country, or sphere of influence.
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How it's used
Originally referring to the southern part of China during the Southern Song dynasty, this idiom is now frequently used in business and professional contexts to describe a dominant market position. It carries a slightly dramatic or grand tone, implying that someone or something has secured a massive, significant portion of a field or territory. It is rarely used in casual, everyday small talk about physical objects.
Examples
Their company occupies half of the market share.
He calls the shots for half of this industry.
Related words
Common phrases
to occupy half the territory/market
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal geographical term, but it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe market share, influence, or control over a specific sector.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
