<p>立下 can be understood in a more smooth manner. It can represent set up as you said, when trying to express set up a contract or so. Examples include 立下誓言。</p>
<p>But in general it can also generalize to mean create, or make something happen. 立下誓言=make the 誓言 happen，立下汗马功劳=make the 汗马功劳 happen，etc。</p>
<p>Also, as Ho pointed out in the answer, 立功 is a common collocation, as earn credits for one's contribution. However I disagree with his understanding on properly usage of the 汗马功劳. Your example is completely correct in modern Chinese, and holds even in its original meaning (which specifies on military contributions).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T04:08:09.063Z
Nothing wrong with 立下汗马功劳. I disagree with following it with 仍然很谦虚, It implies 汗马功劳 is something people would pridefully be proud of. I argue it is something people would  modestly be proud of
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T04:22:33.273Z
For example, someone worked for a company for 30 years, although he never made any big difference, he has been dutiful in his job. He can modestly feel proud of it . But it is not some kind of glory that he can be prideful for.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T03:59:29.823Z
2020-06-21T03:59:29.823Z
RoderickLee
<p>Easier to remember if you think graphically -- 立下 (erect down)--  imagine 'erect a flag to mark something' = <strong>establish</strong>'</p>
<ul>
<li><p>立先例 (<strong>establish</strong> a precedent)</p>
</li>
<li><p>立誓 (<strong>establish</strong> a pledge)</p>
</li>
<li><p>立规则 (<strong>establish</strong> a rule)</p>
</li>
<li><p>立戰功 (<strong>establish</strong> war exploits)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>他参加过许多战役, 立下了汗马功劳, 但他仍然很谦虚。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The example didn't use the phrase correctly. 汗马功劳 is mostly a 'modest phrase' --stating one's contribution is not a 'credit for heroic deed' but a 'credit for dutifully served'</p>
<ul>
<li><p>A general won a war that saved the nation has achieved a 天大功劳 (great credit)</p>
</li>
<li><p>A soldier dutifully fought many battles  for the country has accumulated many 汗马功劳 (credit for dutifully served) -- even if most of them were losing ones</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Similarly, if you call a fireman hero, he would modestly say &quot;I am not a hero, I am just a guy doing his job&quot; (a guy dutifully doing his job is praise worthy, but not to the point of heroic)</p>
<p>立功 means 'achieve/obtain credit (for contribution)'</p>
<p>下 in 立下功劳 is a result complement that indicates the verb 立 is successful</p>
<blockquote>
<p>立下了汗马功劳 = have accumulated credit for dutifully served</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>war exploits = 战功 (mainly credited to the fighting members of the army)</p>
</li>
<li><p>汗马功劳 can be credited to the fighting members or the supporting members of the army</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T02:17:58.763Z
Not sure why you said "The example didn't use the phrase correctly".  I don't see any problems there.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T02:22:51.550Z
立下了汗马功劳 doesn't match 仍然很谦虚;  立下了戰功無數, 仍然很谦虚 would be more suitable
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T02:31:05.223Z
戰功 is the glory one can be pridefully proud of  ; 汗马功劳 is the achievement one can be modestly proud of (have done one's job  dutifully )
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T02:35:46.847Z
I just can not agree on your understanding about this as a native, but no need to argue about it.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T02:39:31.433Z
Why you think Cantonese speakers are not native Chinese? We use the same idioms and write the same SWC too.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T03:05:19.047Z
I didn't say any of the words "Cantonese speakers are not native speakers".
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T03:36:41.967Z
I believe many "non-native speakers", (including myself), must be left wondering what the fuss is all about. My understanding is that given the opening phrase "他参加过许多战役", i.e.战役, meaning "battle" as in a shooting war, not a corporate boardroom battle, so, Tang Ho opined that 戰功無數 is therefore more appropriate than 汗马功劳, (meaning both "contribution" in general as well as "commendable war effort"), as 戰 means war and so more in keeping with 战役, (battle) whereas dan sees no nomenclatural incompatibility between 战役 and 汗马功劳. Are these two native speakers splitting hairs or one is more "right"?
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T04:01:50.703Z
I am thinking graphically, 汗 refers  to sweating (physical task), 马 refers riding horse (busy traveling),  When I see the term 汗马功劳, I imagine 1. A combat soldier engages in physical combat . 2. A transport unit soldier traveling many miles delivering supplies.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T00:54:39.260Z
2020-06-22T02:08:38.987Z
2020-06-22T02:08:38.987Z
Tang Ho
<p>In many <a href="http://www.jukuu.com/search.php?q=%E6%B1%97%E9%A9%AC%E5%8A%9F%E5%8A%B3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">example sentences</a> for the <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%97%E9%A9%AC%E5%8A%9F%E5%8A%B3/1497998?fr=aladdin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">chengyu</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>汗马功劳<br />
<sup>hànmǎgōngláo</sup><br />
war exploits; (fig.) heroic contribution<sup><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqb=%E6%B1%97%E9%A9%AC%E5%8A%9F%E5%8A%B3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup></p>
</blockquote>
<p>we see 立下了汗马功劳, e.g.:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他参加过许多战役, <strong>立下了汗马功劳</strong>, 但他仍然很谦虚。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I don't understand this because <a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E7%AB%8B%E4%B8%8B" rel="nofollow noreferrer">立下</a> = &quot;to set up; to establish&quot;<sup><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqb=%E7%AB%8B%E4%B8%8B" rel="nofollow noreferrer">[src]</a></sup>.  It doesn't make sense to me how someone can &quot;set up war exploits&quot;, etc.  I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something here.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: How should I understand 立下了 (&quot;set up&quot;) 汗马功劳 (&quot;war exploits&quot;)?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-21T02:20:01.543Z
Try to search the word 立功, which is a normal collocation.
dan
<meaning><chengyu>
In 立下了汗马功劳, how should I understand 立下了 ("set up") 汗马功劳 ("war exploits")?
# In 立下了汗马功劳, how should I understand 立下了 ("set up") 汗马功劳 ("war exploits")?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-21)

In many [example sentences](http://www.jukuu.com/search.php?q=%E6%B1%97%E9%A9%AC%E5%8A%9F%E5%8A%B3) for the [chengyu](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%97%E9%A9%AC%E5%8A%9F%E5%8A%B3/1497998?fr=aladdin)

> 汗马功劳  
> hànmǎgōngláo  
> war exploits; (fig.) heroic contribution[[src]](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E6%B1%97%E9%A9%AC%E5%8A%9F%E5%8A%B3)

we see 立下了汗马功劳, e.g.:

> 他参加过许多战役, **立下了汗马功劳**, 但他仍然很谦虚。

I don't understand this because [立下](http://youdao.com/w/%E7%AB%8B%E4%B8%8B) = "to set up; to establish"[[src]](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E7%AB%8B%E4%B8%8B). It doesn't make sense to me how someone can "set up war exploits", etc. I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something here.

**Question**: How should I understand 立下了 ("set up") 汗马功劳 ("war exploits")?

**Tags:** meaning, chengyu

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Try to search the word 立功, which is a normal collocation.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-06-21. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

立下 can be understood in a more smooth manner. It can represent set up as you said, when trying to express set up a contract or so. Examples include 立下誓言。

But in general it can also generalize to mean create, or make something happen. 立下誓言=make the 誓言 happen，立下汗马功劳=make the 汗马功劳 happen，etc。

Also, as Ho pointed out in the answer, 立功 is a common collocation, as earn credits for one's contribution. However I disagree with his understanding on properly usage of the 汗马功劳. Your example is completely correct in modern Chinese, and holds even in its original meaning (which specifies on military contributions).

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Nothing wrong with 立下汗马功劳. I disagree with following it with 仍然很谦虚, It implies 汗马功劳 is something people would pridefully be proud of. I argue it is something people would  modestly be proud of  
> **username_3**: For example, someone worked for a company for 30 years, although he never made any big difference, he has been dutiful in his job. He can modestly feel proud of it . But it is not some kind of glory that he can be prideful for.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-06-21. Score: 1

Easier to remember if you think graphically -- 立下 (erect down)-- imagine 'erect a flag to mark something' = **establish**'

* 立先例 (**establish** a precedent)
* 立誓 (**establish** a pledge)
* 立规则 (**establish** a rule)
* 立戰功 (**establish** war exploits)

> 他参加过许多战役, 立下了汗马功劳, 但他仍然很谦虚。

The example didn't use the phrase correctly. 汗马功劳 is mostly a 'modest phrase' --stating one's contribution is not a 'credit for heroic deed' but a 'credit for dutifully served'

* A general won a war that saved the nation has achieved a 天大功劳 (great credit)
* A soldier dutifully fought many battles for the country has accumulated many 汗马功劳 (credit for dutifully served) -- even if most of them were losing ones

Similarly, if you call a fireman hero, he would modestly say "I am not a hero, I am just a guy doing his job" (a guy dutifully doing his job is praise worthy, but not to the point of heroic)

立功 means 'achieve/obtain credit (for contribution)'

下 in 立下功劳 is a result complement that indicates the verb 立 is successful

> 立下了汗马功劳 = have accumulated credit for dutifully served

* war exploits = 战功 (mainly credited to the fighting members of the army)
* 汗马功劳 can be credited to the fighting members or the supporting members of the army

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Not sure why you said "The example didn't use the phrase correctly".  I don't see any problems there.  
> **username_3**: 立下了汗马功劳 doesn't match 仍然很谦虚;  立下了戰功無數, 仍然很谦虚 would be more suitable  
> **username_3**: 戰功 is the glory one can be pridefully proud of  ; 汗马功劳 is the achievement one can be modestly proud of (have done one's job  dutifully )  
> **username_1**: I just can not agree on your understanding about this as a native, but no need to argue about it.  
> **username_3**: Why you think Cantonese speakers are not native Chinese? We use the same idioms and write the same SWC too.  
> **username_1**: I didn't say any of the words "Cantonese speakers are not native speakers".  
> **username_4**: I believe many "non-native speakers", (including myself), must be left wondering what the fuss is all about. My understanding is that given the opening phrase "他参加过许多战役", i.e.战役, meaning "battle" as in a shooting war, not a corporate boardroom battle, so, username_3 opined that 戰功無數 is therefore more appropriate than 汗马功劳, (meaning both "contribution" in general as well as "commendable war effort"), as 戰 means war and so more in keeping with 战役, (battle) whereas username_1 sees no nomenclatural incompatibility between 战役 and 汗马功劳. Are these two native speakers splitting hairs or one is more "right"?  
> **username_3**: I am thinking graphically, 汗 refers  to sweating (physical task), 马 refers riding horse (busy traveling),  When I see the term 汗马功劳, I imagine 1. A combat soldier engages in physical combat . 2. A transport unit soldier traveling many miles delivering supplies.  

---

