In Chinese legend, 狼 (wolf) and 狈 (a mythical beast) depend on each other to move — the wolf carries the 狈 on its back because the 狈 has short front legs. This is the origin of the idiom 狼狈为奸 (villains colluding together).
usage
狼狈不堪 (lángbèi bùkān) intensifies the meaning — utterly wretched or completely embarrassed.
