死棋

sǐqí

noun #36,542

Meanings

1 dead piece (in chess or weiqi)
2 a hopeless move
3 a no-win situation

Characters

chess; board game piece

Examples

这步走错了,变成一盘死棋。

Zhè bù zǒu cuò le, biànchéng yì pán sǐqí.

That move was a blunder — now the whole game is a dead loss.

公司财务出了大问题,几乎是一盘死棋。

Gōngsī cáiwù chū le dà wèntí, jīhū shì yì pán sǐqí.

The company's finances are in deep trouble — it's almost a hopeless situation.

Tips

usage

Beyond the literal weiqi/chess meaning of a stone or piece that can no longer survive, 死棋 is widely used metaphorically for a situation with no way out. The phrase 一盘死棋 (yì pán sǐqí, 'a board of dead chess') is a common set expression for a deadlock or doomed plan.

Stroke Order

死 sǐ

棋 qí