山穷水尽

山窮水盡

shānqióng-shuǐjìn

idiom #36,754

Meanings

HSK 3

就在山穷水尽时，他收到了一份录用通知。

Jiù zài shānqióngshuǐjìn shí, tā shōudào le yí fèn lùyòng tōngzhī.

Just when he was at his wit's end, he got a job offer.

HSK 7-9

公司到了山穷水尽的地步，只能宣布破产。

Gōngsī dào le shānqióngshuǐjìn de dìbù, zhǐnéng xuānbù pòchǎn.

The company was at the end of its rope and had to declare bankruptcy.

history

From Lu You's poem 《游山西村》: 山重水复疑无路，柳暗花明又一村. Often paired with 柳暗花明 to express hope at the last moment.

山 shān

穷 qióng

水 shuǐ

尽 jìn