哑巴吃黄莲 yǎ ba chī huáng lián

DEFINITIONS

  1. no choice but to suffer in silence (idiom)
  2. also written 啞巴吃黃連|哑巴吃黄连
  3. (often precedes 有苦說不出|有苦说不出[you3 ku3 shuo1 bu5 chu1])

CHARACTERS

哑 yǎ
HSK 6
dumb, mute; become hoarse
巴 ba
HSK 5
greatly desire, anxiously hope
吃 chī
HSK 1
eat; drink; suffer, endure, bear
黄 huáng
HSK 3
yellow; surname
莲 lián lotus, water lily; paradise