living hell; abyss of suffering
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
living hell; an abyss of suffering
literaryA metaphorical idiom comparing an extremely cruel, oppressive, or miserable social environment to Buddhist or folk concepts of hell. Often used in literary or critical contexts.
Zhàn战
shí时
de的
chéng城
shì市
duì对
píng平
mín民
lái来
shuō说
wú无
yì异
yú于
yī一
piàn片
huó活
dì地
yù狱
。
The city during wartime was nothing short of a living hell for civilians.
Zài在
dú独
cái裁
zhě者
de的
tǒng统
zhì治
xià下
，
nà那
ge个
guó国
jiā家
biàn变
chéng成
le了
yī一
gè个
jù巨
dà大
de的
huó活
dì地
yù狱
。
Under the dictator's rule, that country turned into a vast living hell.
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Nà那
duàn段
bèi被
bìng病
tòng痛
zhé折
mó磨
de的
rì日
zi子
，
duì对
tā他
lái来
shuō说
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
huó活
dì地
yù狱
。
That period of being tormented by illness was simply a living hell for him.