停滞不前 tíng zhì bù qián

DEFINITIONS

  1. stuck and not moving forward (idiom); stagnant
  2. in a rut
  3. at a standstill

CHARACTERS

停 tíng stop, suspend, delay; suitable
滞 zhì block up, obstruct; stagnant
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
前 qián in front, forward; preceding