生灵涂炭 shēng líng tú tàn

DEFINITIONS

  1. people are in a terrible situation (idiom)

CHARACTERS

生 shēng
HSK 1
life, living, lifetime; birth
灵 líng
HSK 5
spirit, soul; spiritual world
涂 tú
HSK 5
surname; name of certain rivers
炭 tàn
HSK 5
charcoal; coal; carbon