每天成语
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一筹莫展

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: yī chóu mò zhǎn
  • English Translation: Unable to find a single solution (at one's wits' end)
  • Idiom Composition: 「一」（One; a single (used with a negative to mean 'not even one')）＋「筹」（A tally or counting rod used in ancient times for calculation; here it refers to a 'plan' or 'strategy'）＋「莫」（Not; cannot）＋「展」（To unfold, implement, or put into action）
  • Meaning: Literally meaning 'unable to unfold even one strategy,' this idiom describes being faced with a difficult problem and being completely unable to think of a way to solve it. it implies a state of total deadlock or helplessness.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「一筹莫展」 contains the following nuances:

  • A Complete Deadlock: As the literal structure 'not even one 筹 (chóu) can be 展 (zhǎn)' suggests, this idiom emphasizes a total lack of options rather than just a minor difficulty.
  • Intellectual vs. Physical Helplessness: The focus is on the 'intellectual void'—the inability to produce a single idea or plan—rather than being physically restrained from acting.

3. Usage

「一筹莫展」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Business and Projects: Used when a team or individual encounters an unexpected obstacle and cannot find a way forward.
    • Example:「面对突如其来的技术故障，整个工程团队都一筹莫展。」
      （Facing a sudden technical failure, the entire engineering team was at a complete loss.）
  • Personal Dilemmas or Learning: Describes the feeling of helplessness when a problem is beyond one's current ability to solve.
    • Example:「看着这道复杂的数学题，他抓耳挠腮，一筹莫展。」
      （Looking at this complex math problem, he scratched his head, unable to find a way to start.）
  • Medical or Emergency Situations: Used in desperate situations where no known treatment or countermeasure exists.
    • Example:「对于这种罕见的病毒，当时的医生们也是一筹莫展。」
      （Faced with this rare virus, the doctors at the time were also completely helpless.）

Additional Examples:

  1. 资金链断裂让这家公司陷入了困境，老板对此一筹莫展。
    （The break in the funding chain put the company in a predicament, and the boss was at his wits' end.）
  2. 虽然大家都很想帮忙，但面对这种局面也都一筹莫展。
    （Although everyone wanted to help, they were all powerless in the face of this situation.）
  3. 调查陷入了僵局，警方对案件的侦破一筹莫展。
    （The investigation hit a stalemate, and the police were at a dead end in solving the case.）
  4. 孩子哭闹不止，年轻的父母一时一筹莫展。
    （The baby wouldn't stop crying, leaving the young parents at a loss for what to do for a moment.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The Tool of Strategy: The character 筹 (chóu) refers to ancient bamboo rods used for counting and divination. Because these were used to 'calculate' military or political moves, the word eventually became a synonym for 'plan' or 'strategy.'
  • Common Orthographic Error: In written Chinese, this idiom is often mistakenly written as 一愁莫展, replacing 筹 (chóu - strategy) with 愁 (chóu - worry). This is incorrect because the idiom refers to a lack of logical solutions, not just an emotional state of anxiety.
  • Register and Usage: While it appears in both written and spoken Chinese, it is considered a somewhat formal expression. In very casual conversation, people might simply say 没办法 (méi bàn fǎ) to mean 'there is no way.'

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

一筹莫展 (yī chóu mò zhǎn) is used to describe a situation where one is completely 'stumped' or 'at a loss.' Originating from the ancient calculation tool 筹 (chóu), it emphasizes an intellectual impasse where not a single plan can be put into action. It is commonly used in business, personal dilemmas, or emergency situations where all options have been exhausted.

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