Chinese Idiom

山穷水尽🔊

Shān Qióng Shuǐ Jìn
📚 Idioms⏱ 3 min read🎧 Audio

This idiom means reaching a dead end with no way out.

The Story 🔊

Tóngyàng chūzì Lù Yóu de shījù
同样Tóngyàng🔊出自chūzì🔊陆游Lù Yóu🔊de🔊诗句shījù🔊
Shān chóng shuǐ fù xíngróng shānluán chóngdié shuǐliú qūzhé
山重水复Shān chóng shuǐ fù🔊形容xíngróng🔊山峦shānluán🔊重叠chóngdié🔊水流shuǐliú🔊曲折qūzhé🔊
Zǒudào shān qióng shuǐ jìn de shíhou bùyào fàngqì
走到Zǒudào🔊山穷水尽shān qióng shuǐ jìn🔊de🔊时候shíhou🔊不要bùyào🔊放弃fàngqì🔊
Yīnwèi qiánmiàn kěnéng jiùshì liǔ àn huā míng
因为Yīnwèi🔊前面qiánmiàn🔊可能kěnéng🔊就是jiùshì🔊柳暗花明liǔ àn huā míng🔊
English Translation:
This also comes from Lu You's poem. "Mountains repeat, waters wind" describes overlapping mountains and winding streams. When you reach the end of the mountains and waters, do not give up. Because ahead may be dark willows and bright flowers.

Key Vocabulary

山穷水尽
shān qióng shuǐ jìn
at the end of ones rope
山峦
shānluán
mountains
重叠
chóngdié
overlapping
曲折
qūzhé
winding
放弃
fàngqì
give up
形容
xíngróng
describe

The Moral

Even at the end, hope remains! This idiom means being in a desperate situation with seemingly no way out.

Cultural Insight

山穷水尽 is often paired with 柳暗花明, both from Lu You's poem.