下不了台
xià​bu​liǎo​tái

to be put on the spot

  • created reference approved 下不了台/下不了臺 → 下不来台/下不來臺 (same_as) — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    下不了台 / 下不了臺 xià​bu​liǎo​tái

    下不来台 / 下不來臺 xià​bu​lái​tái

    same_as

    Changed: source (simp), source (trad), source pinyin, target (simp), target (trad), target pinyin, type

    created reference

  • created sense approved 下不了台/下不了臺 · xià​bu​liǎo​tái · to be put on the spot — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    下不了台 / 下不了臺

    xià​bu​liǎo​tái

    to be put on the spot

    To be in an embarrassing position where one cannot back down with grace or resolve a situation; to be unable to extricate oneself from a predicament.

    xià​bù​liǎo​tái

    下, 不了, 台

    下 (literal) → 下 · xià · to descend 不 (literal) → 不 · bu · [potential] 了 (literal) → 了 · liǎo · [possibility] 台 (literal) → 台/臺 · tái · platform

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

    created sense