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左右为难
左右为难
左右为难
左右为难
左右为难
左右为难
左右为难
左右为难

左右为难 — “To be in a dilemma”

左右为难 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be in a dilemma”. To be caught between two difficult choices; to be in an awkward predicament where neither option is favorable. Literally, “difficult on both sides”.

Frequency

左右为难 Pronunciation and Pinyin

  • 左zuǒ
  • 右yòu
  • 为wéi
  • 难nán

左右为难 Character Breakdown

CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
左
zuǒ5left side
右
yòu5right side, conservative
为
wéi4to be or to do
难
nán10difficult, troublesome, or bad

Example Sentence with 左右为难

面对两个同样重要的任务,他感到左右为难,不知道该先处理哪一个。
Faced with two equally important tasks, he felt caught between two difficult choices, unsure which one to tackle first.

Idioms Related to 左右为难

Synonyms of 左右为难

  • jìn进tuì退liǎng两nán难difficult to advance or retreat
  • jìn进tuì退wéi维gǔ谷in a dilemma
  • qí骑hǔ虎nán难xià下caught in an inescapable predicament

Antonyms of 左右为难

  • yī一fān帆fēng风shùn顺everything goes smoothly
  • yī一lù路shùn顺fēng风Have a smooth and pleasant journey
  • dé得xīn心yìng应shǒu手skillful and smooth in execution

More idioms starting with 左

  • zuǒ左shū书yòu右xī息act perversely
  • zuǒ左chōng冲yòu右tū突charge left and right
  • zuǒ左quàn券zhī之cāo操have full assurance of success
  • zuǒ左shǐ史yòu右jīng经widely read and knowledgeable
  • zuǒ左yòu右liǎng两nán难caught between a rock and a hard place
  • zuǒ左yòu右qīn亲jìn近trusted confidant or close associate
  • zuǒ左yòu右tú图shǐ史surrounded by books and history
  • zuǒ左yòu右kāi开gōng弓shoot with both hands
  • zuǒ左yòu右shǒu手a capable assistant
  • zuǒ左yòu右yáo摇bǎi摆sway back and forth
  • zuǒ左yòu右zhī枝wú梧struggle to cope with multiple demands
  • zuǒ左yòu右tǎn袒show favoritism

Questions about 左右为难

What does 左右为难 mean?
左右为难 (zuǒ yòu wéi nán) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be in a dilemma”.
How do you pronounce 左右为难?
左右为难 is pronounced zuǒ yòu wéi nán in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 左右为难 literally mean?
Literally, 左右为难 means “difficult on both sides”. It is used to mean “to be in a dilemma”.
What is the Chinese definition of 左右为难?
左也不好,右也不是。形容无论怎样做都有难处。
Copy the pinyin for 左右为难 →Choose tone marks or tone numbers and copy the complete four-character reading.Read Chinese vocabulary and idiom guides →Continue with words, phrases, and idioms explained through natural examples.

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