寸步难行 (cùn bù nán xíng) — (idiom) unable to take a single step; completely stuck; unable to do anything (of a difficult situation)

Definition

Literally 'can't move even an inch' — describes being completely stuck, either physically or in a difficult situation. Refers to a state of total paralysis, stronger than just 困难.

idiom
unable to take a single stepcompletely stuckunable to do anything (of a difficult situation)

Examples

  • 寸步难行。
    Méi yǒu qián zhēn shì cùn bù nán xíng.
    Without money, you really can't do anything.
  • ，，寸步难行。
    Zài mò shēng chéng shì mí le lù, yǔ yán bù tōng, jiǎn zhí cùn bù nán xíng.
    Getting lost in a strange city without the language is almost impossible to get around.
  • ，寸步难行。
    Bié bǎ kùn nan kàn dé tài zhòng, fǒu zé huì ràng zì jǐ cùn bù nán xíng.
    Don't make difficulties seem too serious, or you'll paralyze yourself.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

寸步an inch step
寸cùninch步bùstep
偏正Modifier + head
难行hard to move
难nándifficult行xíngmove
偏正Modifier + head

寸步 (an inch step) and 难行 (hard to move) picture being completely stuck.

Characters in this word

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

寸 has two unrelated original forms: a line on the hand and an abbreviated form of another character. It was borrowed for its sound, so the picture is unrelated to the modern meaning.

Open 寸 →

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

步 uses two 止 (foot) forms, one reversed, to show one foot stepping in front of the other.

Open 步 →

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.

Open 难 →

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

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →

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