两难 (liǎng nán) — dilemma; to face a difficult choice

Definition

两难 is a stative verb meaning 'to be in a dilemma' — describing a situation where neither of two choices is good. Often paired with 处境, 陷入, or 面临.

verb

dilemmato face a difficult choice

两难。
Tā de jué dìng ràng tā liǎng nán.
His decision put him in a dilemma.
，两难。
Miàn duì zhè yàng de wèn tí, tā liǎng nán le.
Faced with such a problem, she was in a dilemma.
两难。
Zhè ge xuǎn zé shǐ gōng sī xiàn rù liǎng nán.
This choice put the company in a dilemma.

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.

难nándifficult

两 points to both choices, and 难 says they are difficult.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 兩; 两 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 兩 is described as combining 一 and 㒳. The simplified 两 is a later abbreviation.

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 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

隹隹zhuībird

Sound part声符shēngfú

暵

暵hàn難nán

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

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