人人自危

rénrén-zìwēi

idiom #40,929

Meanings

1 everyone fears for themselves
2 all are in a state of insecurity
3 an atmosphere of universal dread

Characters

danger; in peril

Examples

HSK 6

调查范围越来越广，机关里人人自危。

Diàochá fànwéi yuèláiyuè guǎng, jīguān lǐ rénrénzìwēi.

As the investigation widened, everyone in the agency began to fear for themselves.

HSK 7-9

公司一连串裁员之后，员工人人自危。

Gōngsī yìliánchuàn cáiyuán zhīhòu, yuángōng rénrénzìwēi.

After a string of layoffs at the company, every employee fears for their own job.

HSK 7-9

在那段恐怖时期，社会上人人自危。

Zài nà duàn kǒngbù shíqī, shèhuì shàng rénrénzìwēi.

During that reign of terror, everyone in society feared for themselves.

Tips

history

From Sima Qian's 《史记·李斯列传》 (Han dynasty): under the harsh laws of Qin, 群臣人人自危 - every official feared for himself, and many sought to defect. One of the great phrases for political terror, with us since Western Han.

register

Heavy and political - used for purges, crackdowns, mass layoffs, plagues, or any climate where people no longer feel safe. Avoid for ordinary nervousness.

Stroke Order

人 rén

自 zì

危 wēi