內憂外困 nèi yōu wài kùn

DEFINITIONS

  1. internal trouble and outside aggression (idiom); in a mess both domestically and abroad

CHARACTERS

內 nèi inside, interior; domestic
憂 yōu sad, grieved; grief, melancholy
外 wài
HSK 2
out, outside, external; foreign
困 kùn
HSK 4
to surround, besiege; to be surrounded; difficult