the enemy is at the city gates; critical situation
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
the enemy has reached the city walls; to be in a desperate situation
literaryOften used metaphorically to describe a person, organization, or situation facing imminent and severe crisis or danger, not necessarily a literal military siege.
Gōng公
sī司
zī资
jīn金
liàn链
duàn断
liè裂
，
gōng供
yìng应
shāng商
fēn纷
fēn纷
cuī催
zhài债
，
zhēn真
shì是
bīng兵
lín临
chéng城
xià下
，
wēi危
zài在
dàn旦
xī夕
。
The company's funding chain has broken, and suppliers are all demanding payment; the enemy is truly at the gates, with danger imminent.
Jué决
sài赛
zuì最
hòu后
sān三
shí十
miǎo秒
，
duì对
fāng方
zhǐ只
luò落
hòu后
yī一
fēn分
，
wǒ我
fāng方
kě可
wèi谓
bīng兵
lín临
chéng城
xià下
，
bì必
xū须
yán严
fáng防
sǐ死
shǒu守
。
In the last thirty seconds of the final, the opposing team was only one point behind; we were under siege and had to defend desperately.
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Zhè这
bù部
lì历
shǐ史
jù剧
shēng生
dòng动
miáo描
huì绘
le了
dū都
chéng城
bèi被
wéi围
、
bīng兵
lín临
chéng城
xià下
de的
jǐn紧
zhāng张
chǎng场
jǐng景
。
This historical drama vividly depicts the tense scene of the capital being besieged, with the enemy at the city walls.