进退维谷 jìn tuì wéi gǔ

in an impossible situation

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 34964th word

Definitions

  1. 1. in an impossible situation
  2. 2. no room to advance or to retreat (idiom); without any way out of a dilemma
  3. 3. trapped

Characters

Character Meaning
进 jìn HSK 2
to enter; to go in; to go forward
退 tuì HSK 5
to withdraw; to retreat; to move back
维 wéi HSK 5
to maintain; to preserve; to hold together
谷 gǔ HSK 6
grain; valley; corn