鸣锣开道

to beat the gong to clear the way / (fig.) to pave the way for sth

to cry (of birds, animals and insects) / to make a sound / to voice (one's gratitude, grievance etc)

to beat a gong

gong / CL:面[mian4]

to open / to start / to turn on / to boil / to write out (a prescription, check, invoice etc) / to operate (a vehicle) / carat (gold) / abbr. for Kelvin, 開爾文|开尔文[Kai1 er3 wen2] / abbr. for 開本|开本[kai1 ben3], book format

to clear the way

road / path / CL:條|条[tiao2],股[gu3] / principle / truth / morality / reason / skill / method / Dao (of Daoism) / to say / to speak / to talk / classifier for long thin things (rivers, cracks etc), barriers (walls, doors etc), questions (in an exam etc), commands, courses in a meal, steps in a process / (old) circuit (administrative division)