每天成语
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走投无路

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: zǒu tóu wú lù
  • English Translation: To have no way out (at the end of one's rope)
  • Idiom Composition: 「走」（To walk or go (in classical Chinese, this often referred to traveling toward a destination)）＋「投」（To seek refuge or turn to someone for help (as in 投奔, tóu bèn)）＋「无」（No; without; lacking）＋「路」（Road; path; a way out or a solution）
  • Meaning: A state of being completely cornered with no place to turn for help and no path forward. It describes a desperate situation where all options and solutions have been exhausted.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「走投无路」 contains the following nuances:

  • The Nuance of 'Seeking Refuge': The inclusion of 投 (tóu) is significant; it means the person doesn't just lack a physical path, but lacks a person or place to turn to for help. This emphasizes a profound sense of social and economic isolation.
  • A Final Dead End: This idiom represents a situation where all options have been completely exhausted. It suggests a finality or a 'dead end' rather than a temporary difficulty.

3. Usage

「走投无路」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Economic or Social Hardship: Used to describe someone who cannot sustain their life due to debt, unemployment, or bankruptcy and has no support system.
    • Example:「公司破产后，背负巨额债务的他感到走投无路。」
      （After the company went bankrupt, burdened with massive debt, he felt he had no way out.）
  • Pursuit and Capture: Used to describe criminals or enemies who are surrounded and have no means of escape.
    • Example:「劫匪被警方包围在废弃仓库里，已经是走投无路了。」
      （The robbers were surrounded by the police in an abandoned warehouse; they were already driven into a corner.）
  • Motivation for Extreme Actions: Often used to explain why someone was forced into a desperate choice, such as leaving home or taking a dangerous risk.
    • Example:「若不是走投无路，谁愿意背井离乡去冒险呢？」
      （If they weren't at the end of their rope, who would be willing to leave their hometown and take such risks?）

Additional Examples:

  1. 他在赌博输光家产后，走投无路，只能流落街头。
    （After losing his entire family fortune to gambling, he had nowhere to turn and was forced to live on the streets.）
  2. 不要把人逼得走投无路，否则后果不堪设想。
    （Do not push someone into a desperate corner, or the consequences will be unimaginable.）
  3. 面对绝症和高昂的医药费，这个家庭一度走投无路。
    （Facing a terminal illness and exorbitant medical bills, the family was once at a complete dead end.）
  4. 即使看似走投无路，也要相信天无绝人之路。
    （Even when you seem to have no way out, you must believe that 'Heaven never seals off all exits.'）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Origin: This idiom is derived from the Yuan Dynasty (元) drama Rain on the Xiang River (潇湘雨) by Yang Xianzhi (杨显之), which contains the line: 'The rain has left me with nowhere to turn (走投无路).'
  • Historical Variants: While 走投无路 is the standard modern form, it was historically sometimes written as 走头无路. Since 头 (tóu) and 投 (tóu) are homophones in Mandarin and both can imply a 'destination' or 'direction,' they were used interchangeably, though the version with 投 is preferred today to emphasize the lack of refuge.
  • Literary Context: In Chinese literature and cinema, this phrase is a staple for describing the tragic downfall of a villain or the extreme plight of the marginalized, often serving as a catalyst for dramatic plot shifts.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

走投无路 (zǒu tóu wú lù) describes a state of total desperation where one has neither a destination to go to nor anyone to rely on. It is frequently used to describe financial ruin, being trapped by pursuers, or facing an unsolvable life crisis. The character 投 (tóu) specifically implies 'seeking refuge,' which adds a layer of social isolation to the literal image of a 'dead-end road.'

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