穷鼠啮狸 qióngshǔnièlí a person at bay will fight back Definitions Defs Origin Strokes Stroke Words Sentences Sents 穷 窮 qióng hard-pressed in a difficult situation; at a dead end; cornered (as in 穷寇 qióngkòu or 穷途末路 qióngtúmòlù)鼠 shǔ noun rat (bound form) rat; mouse; any of various small rodents啮 齧 niè noun to gnaw to gnaw; to bite; to chew on something狸 lí noun raccoon dog raccoon dog; leopard cat; wildcat