諺語 · a single proverb
進退兩難
Simplified: 进退两难
What does 進退兩難 (jìn tuì liǎng nán) mean?
進退兩難 (jìn tuì liǎng nán) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "advancing or retreating, both are difficult." In use it means: Caught between two equally problematic options; a genuine dilemma where no direction feels safe. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "advancing or retreating, both are difficult."
The reading
Forward is dangerous. Backward is shameful. Staying is impossible. This is the anatomy of a real dilemma, and real dilemmas do not have clean answers. They have least-bad answers, and the courage to pick one is more important than the analysis to find one. At some point, the thinking must stop and the feet must move, even if the direction is not perfect.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary and strategic expression; Zuo Zhuan tradition
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 進退兩難 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 進退兩難 (jìn tuì liǎng nán) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common literary and strategic expression; Zuo Zhuan tradition. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 進退兩難?
In Mandarin it is jìn tuì liǎng nán. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 進退兩難 aloud in Mandarin.