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垂死挣扎 (chuí sǐ zhēng zhá) — (idiom) to put up a last-ditch struggle; to be in one's death throes

Definition

Idiom meaning a desperate last-ditch struggle when defeat or death is already certain. Implies the outcome is decided and only futile resistance remains.

idiom
to put up a last-ditch struggleto be in one's death throes

Examples

  • ，垂死挣扎。
    Zhè ge gōng sī yǐ jīng pò chǎn le, xiàn zài zhǐ shì zài chuí sǐ zhēng zhá.
    This company has already gone bankrupt; it's just in its death throes now.
  • 垂死挣扎，。
    Dí jūn suī rán hái zài chuí sǐ zhēng zhá, dàn shī bài yǐ chéng dìng jú.
    The enemy army is still putting up a last-ditch struggle, but defeat is already certain.
  • ，。
    Tā zài bìng chuáng shàng chuí sǐ zhēng zhá le sān tiān, zuì hòu hái shì zǒu le.
    He lingered in his death throes on the hospital bed for three days before finally passing away.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

垂死near death
垂chuínear死sǐdeath
偏正Modifier + head
挣扎struggle
挣zhèngstruggle扎zhāstruggle
联合Coordinate

垂死 (near death) adds urgency to 挣扎 (struggle), giving a final effort.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

垂 combines 𠂹 and 土 to draw flowers hanging down from a plant.

Open 垂 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
尸
尸shī死sǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

Open 死 →

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 掙; 挣 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
爭
爭zhēng掙zhèng
Same sound today

The traditional form 掙 combines 手 (hand) with 爭, which gives the sound; the simplified 挣 is a shorthand.

Open 挣 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
乙
乙yǐ扎zhā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

扎 is built from 手 (hand) and 乙, which gives the sound.

Open 扎 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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