此路不通 (cǐ lù bù tōng) — dead end; blind alley (literal and figurative)

Definition

Literally 'this road does not lead through,' used literally for a blocked route and figuratively for an approach that has failed or reached an impasse.

idiom
dead endblind alley (literal and figurative)

Examples

  • 此路不通，。
    Qián miàn shì cǐ lù bù tōng, wǒ men dé huàn gè fāng xiàng.
    Ahead is a dead end; we need to change direction.
  • 此路不通，。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù yǐ jīng chéng le cǐ lù bù tōng, zài jì xù xià qù yě méi yòng.
    This project has become a dead end; continuing further is useless.
  • ，此路不通。
    Tā shì le hěn duō fāng fǎ, zuì hòu hái shì zǒu dào le cǐ lù bù tōng.
    He tried many methods, but in the end still hit a dead end.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

此 shows 止 (feet) and 人 (person), drawing a person stopping, to mean 'this' or 'here.'

Open 此 →

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
足足zú
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè路lù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Open 路 →

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng通tōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

通 pairs 辶, a part associated with movement, with 甬, which gives the sound.

Open 通 →

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