TongTong
Sign in

死路一条 (sǐ lù yī tiáo) — dead end; no way out; doomed (set phrase)

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'a dead end' or 'doomed' — a path with no possible way forward, used for plans, situations, or conspiracies that cannot succeed.

idiom
dead endno way outdoomed (set phrase)

Examples

  • ，死路一条。
    Rú guǒ bù gǎi biàn fāng xiàng, wǒ men jiù shì sǐ lù yī tiáo.
    If we don't change direction, we are doomed.
  • ，死路一条。
    Zài zhè jiàn shì shàng, tā yǐ jīng zǒu dào le sǐ lù yī tiáo.
    In this matter, he has reached a dead end.
  • 死路一条。
    Dí rén de yīn móu zhù dìng shì sǐ lù yī tiáo.
    The enemy's conspiracy is doomed to be a dead end.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
尸
尸shī死sǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

Open 死 →

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 →

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

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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 條; 条 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
攸
攸yōu條tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 條 pairs 木, a small branch or stick, with 攸, which shows a person warned by a hand holding a stick, as a sound part; 条 is a later shortened shape.

Open 条 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.