进退维谷
jìn tuì wéi gǔ
caught in a dilemma; between a rock and a hard place
Character by character
进jìn
advance
advance
退tuì
retreat
retreat
维wéi
is
is
谷gǔ
valley
valley
Example
房子卖了舍不得，不卖又还不起房贷，他陷入了进退维谷的境地。
He cannot bear to sell the flat, but if he keeps it he cannot keep up the mortgage: he is caught between a rock and a hard place.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
From the 《诗经·大雅·桑柔》 (人亦有言，进退维谷): whichever way you turn, you are stuck. 维 means “is”, and the old commentaries read 谷 as 穷, “at a dead end”, often pictured as a ravine. Formal and written, for people, firms or policymakers with no good option; in speech 进退两难 (lesson 3-13) is more common.
Learn this in Lesson 190 · HSK 7–9: 央行降息了 (The central bank cuts rates)
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