上下交困
shàng​xià​jiāo​kùn

to be in a double bind

  • created sense approved 上下交困 · shàng​xià​jiāo​kùn · to be in a double bind — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    上下交困

    shàng​xià​jiāo​kùn

    to be in a double bind

    (set phrase) both superiors and subordinates are in a difficult situation; to be beset with difficulties from both above and below

    上下 (literal) → 上下 · shàng​xià · superiors and subordinates 交困 (literal) → 交困 · jiāo​kùn · to be in difficulty together

    Changed: simplified, traditional, gloss, definition, pinyin, variant pinyin, variants, separable parts, decomposition

    created sense