📖 Meaning
To have no way forward and no door to retreat through. It describes being trapped in an extremely difficult situation with no way out, caught between advancing and retreating. The phrase conveys a sense of having nowhere to turn or no place to take shelter.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from a letter by the Song dynasty Neo-Confucian philosopher Zhu Xi titled 'Reply to Liu Jizhang' (答刘季章). Zhu Xi lamented that after the unfortunate loss of a key figure in their scholarly lineage, the remaining disciples were so disorganized that at the slightest sign of personal gain or loss, they would panic and lose their composure, finding themselves with no way forward or back. He used this to criticize their lack of steadfastness and composure in the face of adversity.
💡 Example Usage
他被逼得进退无门，只好硬着头皮去求人帮忙。
Driven to a point where he had no way forward or back, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and beg for help.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 进退无门
- Pinyin: jìn tuì wú mén
- Literal Translation: advance, retreat, no, door
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4