铤而走险

鋌而走險

tǐng'ér-zǒuxiǎn

idiom #19,527

Meanings

走投无路之下，他铤而走险去抢劫。

Zǒutóuwúlù zhīxià, tā tǐng'ér-zǒuxiǎn qù qiǎngjié.

With no way out, he took a desperate risk and committed robbery.

不要铤而走险，我们还有别的办法。

Bùyào tǐng'ér-zǒuxiǎn, wǒmen háiyǒu biéde bànfǎ.

Don't take desperate measures; we still have other options.

memory

铤 means to rush recklessly, 走险 means to head toward danger. Picture someone sprinting headlong toward a cliff edge - that's 铤而走险.

usage

Almost always used negatively, implying the person had no better options and was forced into a dangerous gamble.

铤 tǐng

而 ér

走 zǒu

险 xiǎn