寡不敌众

寡不敵眾

guǎbùdízhòng

idiom #44,260

Meanings

1 the few cannot resist the many; outnumbered
2 to be hopelessly outnumbered

Characters

to match; to withstand

Examples

士兵们寡不敌众，只好撤退。

Shìbīngmen guǎ bù dí zhòng, zhǐhǎo chètuì.

The soldiers were outnumbered and had to retreat.

辩论中他寡不敌众，最终妥协了。

Biànlùn zhōng tā guǎ bù dí zhòng, zuìzhōng tuǒxié le.

Outnumbered in the debate, he finally compromised.

Tips

history

The idea appears in 《孟子·梁惠王上》 ('寡固不可以敌众') and 《韩非子·难三》. 敌 here is a verb, 'to match, to resist'.

Stroke Order

寡 guǎ

不 bù

敌 dí

众 zhòng