瓮中之鳖 (wèng zhōng zhī biē) — someone or something completely trapped with no way out; a sure catch

Definition

A 成语 from the image of a turtle trapped in a jar: someone caught in a hopeless situation with no escape. Used figuratively for a person (or thing) that is completely cornered.

noun
someone or something completely trapped with no way outa sure catch

Examples

  • ，瓮中之鳖。
    Dí rén yǐ jīng bèi bāo wéi le, chéng le wèng zhōng zhī biē.
    The enemy has been surrounded and is now trapped like a turtle in a jar.
  • ，瓮中之鳖。
    Jǐng fāng shè xià mái fú, xiǎo tōu chéng le wèng zhōng zhī biē.
    The police set an ambush, and the thief was caught like a turtle in a jar.
  • ，，瓮中之鳖。
    Tā de gōng sī pò chǎn hòu, zhài wù chán shēn, jiǎn zhí chéng le wèng zhōng zhī biē.
    After his company went bankrupt, he was mired in debt, completely trapped with no way out.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 甕; 瓮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
瓦瓦wǎearthenware
Sound part声符shēngfú
雍
雍yōng甕wèng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 甕 pairs 雍 for the sound with 瓦, meaning earthenware, to write an urn or jar; the simplified 瓮 is a later shorthand.

Open 瓮 →

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

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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 鱉; 鳖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
魚魚yú
Sound part声符shēngfú
敝
敝bì鱉biē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鱉 pairs 魚 (fish) with 敝, which gives the sound; the simplified 鳖 is a later shorthand.

Open 鳖 →

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