shàng​fāng​jiàn

imperial sword

尚方剑 (尚方劍) shàng​fāng​jiàn
imperial sword proper name
An imperial sword granted by the emperor to a high official, conferring the power to act with delegated authority and perform summary executions.
license to kill proper name
A metaphorical mandate or supreme authority, especially in fiction, allowing one to act with impunity or absolute power.

Cross-References

Has variant

Sources

Definitions
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