难上加难 (nán shàng jiā nán) — extremely difficult, adding difficulty on top of difficulty

Definition

A fixed idiom meaning 'even harder on top of already being hard' — emphasizes piling extra difficulty onto an already tough situation, stronger than plain 难.

idiom
extremely difficult, adding difficulty on top of difficulty

Examples

  • ，难上加难。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù běn lái jiù hěn nán, xiàn zài gèng shì nán shàng jiā nán.
    This project was already difficult, and now it's even more so.
  • 难上加难。
    Xiǎng tōng guò zhè cì kǎo shì zhēn shì nán shàng jiā nán.
    Passing this exam is truly extremely difficult.
  • ，难上加难。
    Zài è liè tiān qì xià dēng shān, zhēn shì nán shàng jiā nán.
    Climbing a mountain in bad weather is adding difficulty on top of difficulty.

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 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 →

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

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

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

加 pairs 力 and 口. In one explanation 力 is strength and 口 is the mouth, meaning exaggeration; in another 力 is plowing effort and 口 is breath or exclamation, meaning extra effort.

Open 加 →

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 →

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