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骑虎难下 (qí hǔ nán xià): Meaning, Examples & Usage

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骑虎难下

骑虎难下 (qí hǔ nán xià): To be in a difficult situation where one cannot stop or back out without serious consequences. (idiom) — Meaning & Stroke Order

1.

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2.

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3.

Character Breakdown

骑 • qí • to ride (a bicycle, horse) • HSK 2.0 L3

HSK 3

qí骑

to ride (a bicycle, horse)

虎 • hǔ • tiger

hǔ虎

tiger

难 • nán • hard; difficult • HSK 2.0 L3

HSK 3

nán难

hard; difficult

下 • xià • down; below • HSK 2.0 L1

HSK 1

xià下

down; below

Word Info

Pinyinqí hǔ nán xià

MeaningTo be in a difficult situation where one cannot stop or back out without serious consequences.

Characters4

HSK—

Syntaxidiom

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Read the origin story and cultural notes for 骑虎难下

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Words Sharing Characters

More common words that include characters from 骑虎难下.

Words with 骑

坐骑zuò qímount; riding animal
骑兵qí bīngcavalry; mounted soldier
骑士qí shìknight
骑手qí shǒurider; delivery rider
骑警qí jǐngmounted police
骑车qí chēto ride a bike (motorbike or bicycle)
骑马qí mǎride a horse
势成骑虎shì chéng qí hǔto be in a situation where one cannot stop or back down, even though continuing is difficult or dangerous

Words with 虎

老虎lǎo hǔtiger
马虎mǎ hucareless
狼吞虎咽láng tūn hǔ yànto wolf down one's food [idiom]
寅虎yín hǔthe Tiger (third of the 12 Earthly Branches)

Words with 难

难听nán tīngunpleasant to hear
难看nán kànugly
难过nán guòhave a hard time
难题nán tídifficult problem

Words with 下

下午xià wǔafternoon
下班xià bānto finish work
下课xià kèto finish class
下雨xià yǔrain

猛虎

měng hǔ

fierce tiger

虎口hǔ kǒutiger's mouth; dangerous situation; part of hand between thumb and index finger

母老虎mǔ lǎo hǔtigress; fierce woman

老虎机lǎo hǔ jīslot machine

困难

kùn nan

difficulty

难受nán shòufeel unwell; difficult to bear

难忘nán wàngunforgettable

难道nán dàocould it be...?

一下

yī xià

[used after a verb] give something a go

下去xià quto go down

下来xià laito come down

下面xià miànbelow

4.

Example Sentences with 骑虎难下

tā他

xiàn现

zài在

qí骑

hǔ虎

nán难

xià下

，

zhǐ只

néng能

yìng硬

zhe着

tóu头

pí皮

jì继

xù续

zuò做

xià下

qù去

。

He is now in a dilemma with no way out and has to grit his teeth and continue.

zhè这

gè个

xiàng项

mù目

yǐ已

jīng经

tóu投

rù入

tài太

duō

多

zī资

jīn金

，

wǒ我

men们

qí骑

hǔ虎

nán难

xià下

，

zhǐ只

néng能

wán完

chéng成

tā它

。

We have invested too much money in this project; we are in a dilemma and have to finish it.