🇨🇳Chinese Source WordCode: ZH

达摩克利斯之剑

Pronunciation / Transliteration: dámòkèlīsī zhī jiàn

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Sword of Damocles/ˌsɔːrd əv ˈdæm.ə.kliːz/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #14500 frequency
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🇨🇳 Example Sentence in Chinese:

"失业的威胁一直像达摩克利斯之剑一样悬在他的头顶。"

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

1 sense
As noun phrase
  1. 1

    A situation or circumstance of imminent, constant peril or impending disaster hanging over someone who is currently in a state of power or prosperity.

    "With the looming regulatory investigation, the threat of bankruptcy felt like a sword of Damocles hanging over the company."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Originating from an ancient Greek parable retold by the Roman orator Cicero in his Tusculan Disputations, the term derives from the courtier Damocles who praised the great happiness of Dionysius II. To teach him that power comes with constant peril, Dionysius seated Damocles beneath a sword suspended by a single horsehair. The idiom has evolved in English to signify an impending disaster or constant threat hovering over someone in a position of power or prosperity.

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10 Global Lexicons: How "Sword of Damocles" is said worldwide

Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration

🇫🇷French → English

épée de Damoclès

Transliteration: épée de Damoclès

"Cette dette est une véritable épée de Damoclès au-dessus de sa tête."

🇩🇪German → English

Damoklesschwert

Transliteration: Damoklesschwert

"Die drohende Kündigung schwebte wie ein Damoklesschwert über ihm."

🇮🇹Italian → English

spada di Damocle

Transliteration: spada di Damocle

"Il processo in corso è rimasto come una spada di Damocle sulla sua carriera."

🇪🇸Spanish → English

espada de Damocles

Transliteration: espada de Damocles

"La crisis económica pendía sobre la empresa como una espada de Damocles."

🇵🇹Portuguese → English

espada de Dâmocles

Transliteration: espada de Dâmocles

"A ameaça de despejo pairava como uma espada de Dâmocles sobre a família."

🇮🇳Hindi → English

दामोकलिस की तलवार

Transliteration: damokalis ki talwar

"गिरफ्तारी का खतरा उसके सिर पर दामोकलिस की तलवार की तरह लटक रहा था।"

🇨🇳Chinese → English

达摩克利斯之剑

Transliteration: dámòkèlīsī zhī jiàn

"失业的威胁一直像达摩克利斯之剑一样悬在他的头顶。"

🇰🇷Korean → English

다모클레스의 칼

Transliteration: damokeuleseu-ui kal

"그 소송은 그의 사업에 다모클레스의 칼처럼 다가왔다."

🇯🇵Japanese → English

ダモクレスの剣

Transliteration: Damokuresu no tsurugi

"そのスキャンダルは彼の政治生命にとってダモクレスの剣となった。"

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