進退維谷 jìn tuì wéi gǔ

in an impossible situation

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

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
進 jìn
to enter; to go in; to go forward
退 tuì HSK 5
to withdraw; to retreat; to move back
維 wéi
to maintain; to preserve; to hold together
谷 gǔ HSK 6
grain; valley; corn