削铁如泥 xuētiěrúní to cut through iron like butter Origin Definitions Defs Strokes Stroke Words Sentences Sents 削 xuē to pare (bound form) used in literary or fixed compounds to mean pare or whittle铁 鐵 tiě adjective weapons (bound form) weapons or arms; specifically bladed weapons made of metal如 rú preposition to be like to be like; to be similar to; as if泥 ní noun mud mud; clay; wet soil