挑大梁

挑大梁

Literally means:

play the leading role

Actually means:

shoulder a heavy responsibility

大梁 refers to the main beam, i.e. the highest of all the crossbeams that support a gable room, which figuratively means the mainstay.

The phrase indicates that someone shoulders the important or main responsibility, or that something plays a pivotal role in a certain activity. Commendatory.

大梁，在支撑人字形屋顶的横梁中，位置最高的那一根，比喻骨干。

挑大梁，某个人承担重要的、起着支柱作用的工作，或某项事物在某项活动中起主要角色的作用。具有褒义色彩。