extreme misery; living in dire straits; abyss of suffering
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
extreme misery and suffering; living conditions of utter hardship (literally "deep water and hot fire")
literaryOriginally from Mencius, describing people living in such deep misery it's like being submerged in deep water and scorched by fire. Typically used with "之中" (在水深火热之中) or as a predicate to describe chaotic, oppressive, or war-torn environments.
Zhàn战
zhēng争
ràng让
zhè这
gè个
guó国
jiā家
xiàn陷
rù入
le了
shuǐ水
shēn深
huǒ火
rè热
zhī之
zhōng中
。
The war plunged this country into deep misery.
Jiù旧
shè社
huì会
，
láo劳
dòng动
rén人
mín民
shēng生
huó活
zài在
shuǐ水
shēn深
huǒ火
rè热
zhī之
zhōng中
。
In the old society, working people lived in extreme hardship.
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Bǎi百
xìng姓
men们
zài在
shuǐ水
shēn深
huǒ火
rè热
zhōng中
zhēng挣
zhá扎
qiú求
shēng生
。
The common people struggled to survive in dire straits.