Chinese Conversation · Level 79
91 words
Chinese word
狗急跳墙
Pronunciation
Pinyingǒu jí tiào qiáng
Meaning
- idiomresort to desperate measures
Example
狗急跳墙的时候，人会做出疯狂的事。gǒu jí tiào qiáng de shí hòu rén huì zuò chū fēng kuáng de shì
When people resort to desperate measures, they may do crazy things.
More examples
被追债时，他差点狗急跳墙，做出违法的事。bèi zhuī zhài shí tā chà diǎn gǒu jí tiào qiáng zuò chū wéi fǎ de shì
When debt collectors were after him, he almost resorted to desperate measures and did something illegal.
Core concept
Pressure pushes someone past normal limits toward a dangerous escape.
Common phrases
狗急跳墙的时候gǒu jí tiào qiáng de shí hòu
when driven to desperation
到了狗急跳墙的地步dào le gǒu jí tiào qiáng de dì bù
reach the point of desperation
Similar words
铤而走险tǐng ér zóu xiǎn: Choosing a dangerous course of action when backed into a corner.
孤注一掷gū zhù yí zhì: Risking everything on one final attempt when little else remains.
走投无路zǒu tóu wú lù: Having no escape or workable solution and being completely stuck.
穷途末路qióng tú mò lù: Reaching the end of the road with no useful action left.
Definition in Chinese
用于描述人在绝境或被逼无路时，因急迫或绝望而做出冒险或激烈的行为。yòng yú miáo shù rén zài jué jìng huò bèi bī wú lù shí yīn jí pò huò jué wàng ér zuò chū mào xiǎn huò jī liè de xíng wéi
Word origin
The four characters of 狗急跳墙 (gǒujítiàoqiáng, "a desperate dog leaps over a wall") form a literal scene whose danger explains the idiom's figurative sense of extreme action.
Usage tips
- It usually describes a response at the limit rather than ordinary urgency, so applying it to a small inconvenience can sound exaggerated.
Other meanings
- become desperateidiom
Opposites
- 临危不乱lín wēi bú luànremain calm in a crisisidiom
- 镇定自若zhèn dìng zì ruòremain calm and composedidiom