互不相让 (hù bù xiāng ràng) — (idiom) neither side gives in; deadlocked; at a standoff

Definition

Idiom meaning neither side will back down, leaving both parties at a deadlock. Used for standoffs in negotiations, arguments, or competitions where no one concedes.

idiom
neither side gives indeadlockedat a standoff

Examples

  • ，互不相让，。
    Zài tán pàn zhōng, shuāng fāng hù bù xiāng ràng, qì fen fēi cháng jǐn zhāng.
    In the negotiations, neither side gave in, and the atmosphere was very tense.
  • 互不相让，。
    Tā men yīn wèi yì jiàn bù tóng hù bù xiāng ràng, chǎo le yì zhěng tiān.
    They argued all day because they had differing opinions and neither would back down.
  • ，互不相让。
    Bǐ sài jìn xíng dào zuì hòu yì fēn zhōng, liǎng duì réng rán hù bù xiāng ràng.
    With one minute left in the match, the two teams were still locked in a deadlock.

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.

互不mutually not
互hùmutual不bùnot
偏正Modifier + head
相让yield to each other
相xiāngmutual让ràngyield
偏正Modifier + head

互不 means mutually not, and 相让 means yield to each other; together they describe neither side giving way.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The form 互 is a tooth shape with a distinguishing mark added.

Open 互 →

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 →

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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 讓; 让 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
襄
襄xiāng讓ràng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 讓 combines 言, showing speech, with 襄, giving the sound; the evidence links it to criticizing or reproaching. The simplified 让 is a later shorthand.

Open 让 →

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