举步维艰 (jǔ bù wéi jiān) — to have great difficulty making progress; to be stuck in a very tough situation

Definition

Literary idiom: every step is hard — used for organizations, projects, or careers (not a single person) that are barely able to move forward. Stronger and more formal than 困难.

idiom
to have great difficulty making progressto be stuck in a very tough situation

Examples

  • 举步维艰，。
    Chuàng yè chū qī gōng sī jǔ bù wéi jiān, zī jīn hé rén cái dōu yán zhòng bù zú.
    In the early days of the startup, the company struggled so hard that it was barely able to move forward, lacking both funds and talent.
  • ，举步维艰。
    Zài yì qíng chōng jī xià, xǔ duō chuán tǒng háng yè jǔ bù wéi jiān.
    Under the impact of the pandemic, many traditional industries found it extremely difficult to make progress.
  • 举步维艰，。
    Tā de xiě zuò shēng yá yí dù jǔ bù wéi jiān, zhí dào xīn shū yì wài zǒu hóng.
    His writing career was once stuck in a rut, until his new book unexpectedly became a hit.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 舉; 举 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
與
與yǔ舉jǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 舉 pairs 與, which gives the sound, with 手, a hand; the simplified 举 is a later shorthand.

Open 举 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

步 uses two 止 (foot) forms, one reversed, to show one foot stepping in front of the other.

Open 步 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 維; 维 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
唯
唯wéi維wéi
Same sound today

In the traditional form 維, 糸 marks a thread meaning and 唯 provides the sound; the simplified 维 is a later shortened shape.

Open 维 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 艱; 艰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
𦰩𦰩𦰩
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn艱jiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 艱 pairs 𦰩 for meaning with 艮 for sound; the simplified 艰 is a later abbreviation.

Open 艰 →

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