左右为难 (zuǒ yòu wéi) — in a dilemma; faced with a difficult choice; between a rock and a hard place
Definition
A set phrase for being torn between two hard choices — literally 'left and right in difficulty.' Used when both options have real downsides, stronger than a simple 两难.
idiom
in a dilemmafaced with a difficult choicebetween a rock and a hard place
Examples
- 左右为难，。Zhè jiàn shì ràng jīng lǐ zuǒ yòu wéi, shí zài bù zhī dào gāi zěn me chǔ lǐ.This matter put the manager in a dilemma — he really didn't know how to handle it.
- ，，左右为难。Tā jì bù xiǎng dé zuì péng you, yòu bù xiǎng sā huǎng, zhēn shì zuǒ yòu wéi.She didn't want to offend her friend, nor did she want to lie — it was really a dilemma.
- ，左右为难，。Miàn duì liǎng gè gōng zuò jī huì, tā zuǒ yòu wéi, bù zhī dào xuǎn nǎ ge hǎo.Faced with two job offers, he was in a dilemma, not knowing which one to choose.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.