跳進黃河洗不清 tiào jìn huáng hé xǐ bù qīng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. even jumping into the Yellow River can't get you clean
  2. fig. to become inexorably mixed up
  3. mired in controversy
  4. in deep trouble

CHARACTERS

跳 tiào
HSK 2
jump, leap, vault, bounce; dance
進 jìn advance, make progress, enter
黃 huáng yellow; surname
河 hé
HSK 3
river; stream; yellow river
洗 xǐ
HSK 2
wash, rinse; clean, purify
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
清 qīng
HSK 3
clear, pure, clean; peaceful