孤立无援

gū lì wú yuán

isolated and without help; on one’s own

Character by character

孤gū
alone

立lì
stand

无wú
without

援yuán
help

车在雪地里坏了，四周没有人家，他们一时孤立无援。

The car broke down in the snow with no houses anywhere near, and for a while they were stranded with no one to help.

Tone: neutral.

Of people cut off in a place (a stranded climber, a besieged town) or alone in a dispute (在会上孤立无援). Often after 陷入 or 处于: 陷入孤立无援的境地.

Learn this in Lesson 145 · HSK 7–9: 鳌太线 (The Aotai trail)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.