zhū​bā​jiè​zhào​jìng​zi

in a spot where nothing you do is right

猪八戒照镜子 豬八戒照鏡子 zhū​bā​jiè​zhào​jìng​zi
in a spot where nothing you do is right
A two-part allegorical saying (xiehouyu) meaning to be caught in a situation where you cannot please anyone, or where you are criticized by both sides; literally "Zhu Bajie looks in the mirror" (and sees that neither the face in the mirror nor the face outside is human).
to seek or receive a public humiliation
A two-part allegorical saying (xiehouyu) meaning to bring shame upon oneself or to be openly embarrassed by someone else; based on the idea that if the ugly Zhu Bajie looks in a mirror, the reflection will inevitably be unpleasant.

Cross-References

Same as