lose footing; be in a dilemma
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to lose one's footing or support; to be caught in a dilemma
literaryOften appears in the four-character idiom 进退失据 (jìn tuì shī jù), meaning 'caught between a rock and a hard place'. The subject is usually a person, army, or argument that has lost its foundation.
Dí敌
jūn军
shī失
jù据
，
kuì溃
bù不
chéng成
jūn军
。
The enemy lost their footing and was utterly routed.
Zài在
zhè这
zhǒng种
qíng情
kuàng况
xià下
，
tā他
gǎn感
dào到
jìn进
tuì退
shī失
jù据
。
In this situation, he felt caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat.
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Yóu由
yú于
jī基
chǔ础
bó薄
ruò弱
，
zhěng整
gè个
lǐ理
lùn论
jiàn建
gòu构
zhú逐
jiàn渐
shī失
jù据
。
Due to its weak foundations, the entire theoretical structure gradually lost its basis.
Tā他
zuǒ左
yòu右
shī失
jù据
，
bù不
zhī知
gāi该
zhàn站
zài在
nǎ哪
yī一
fāng方
。
He was caught between two sides, unsure which party to stand with.