📖 Meaning
One is in such a precarious or desperate situation that one can barely look after oneself, let alone help others. It describes a state of being unable to safeguard or rescue oneself from trouble.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from Feng Menglong's Ming Dynasty work 'Stories to Caution the World' (《警世通言》). It comes from the full proverb '泥菩萨落水，自身难保' — a clay bodhisattva falling into water cannot even save itself. The phrase paints a vivid image: if a clay idol dissolves upon hitting water, it is in no position to rescue anyone else. The idiom thus captures the helplessness of being so compromised that offering aid to others is impossible.
💡 Example Usage
我自己都自身难保了，哪还有能力帮你？
I can barely save myself right now — how could I possibly help you?
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 自身难保
- Pinyin: zì shēn nán bǎo
- Literal Translation: self, body, difficult, protect
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4