负隅顽抗

負隅頑抗

fùyúwánkàng

idiom #36,673

Meanings

1 to put one's back against a corner and resist stubbornly
2 to make a desperate last stand

Characters

to have at one's back, rely on

Examples

残余的敌军负隅顽抗，最终被全部消灭。

Cányú de díjūn fùyúwánkàng, zuìzhōng bèi quánbù xiāomiè.

The remnant enemy forces put up desperate resistance and were ultimately wiped out.

在证据面前，他还在负隅顽抗，拒不认罪。

Zài zhèngjù miànqián, tā hái zài fùyúwánkàng, jù bù rènzuì.

Faced with the evidence he was still stubbornly resisting, refusing to confess.

Tips

history

From《孟子·尽心下》: 虎负嵎，莫之敢撄 — a tiger backed into a mountain corner, which no one dares approach. 隅 is the cornered terrain; 负 is to have it at one's back.

register

Strongly negative — used about defeated enemies, criminals, holdouts. The implication is that resistance is futile but the subject won't yield.

Stroke Order

负 fù

隅 yú

顽 wán

抗 kàng