一筹莫展, be at a loss, English

Explanation

这个成语的意思是：一点计策也想不出来，一点办法也施展不出。形容陷入困境，毫无办法。

This idiom means: Not a single strategy comes to mind, not a single solution can be applied. Describes a situation in which one is in a dead end and sees no way out.

Origin Story

南宋时期，有一个名叫蔡幼学的读书人，他以博学多识而闻名于世，并且敢于直言进谏。宋宁宗即位后，为了树立贤明君主的形象，下令让大臣们进谏，希望他们能够提出一些好的建议。然而，大多数大臣们都唯唯诺诺，不敢说出自己的真实想法，他们生怕触怒了皇帝，会招来祸患。蔡幼学看到这种情况后，感到非常痛心，他认为国家想要兴盛，就需要有识之士献计献策，而不是一味地沉默不语。于是，他上书皇帝，直言不讳地批评了那些“多士盈庭而一筹莫吐”的现象，他指出，只有广兴学校，罗致人才，重用那些有真才实学的人，国家才能真正强大起来。他的谏言虽然很尖锐，却也体现了他对国家前途的担忧，和对人才的渴望。

nán sòng shí qī, yǒu yī gè míng jiào cài yòu xué de dú shū rén, tā yǐ bó xué duō shí ér wén míng yú shì, bìng qiě gǎn yú zhí yán jìn jiàn. sòng níng zōng jí wèi hòu, wèi le shù lì xián míng jūn zhǔ de xíng xiàng, xià lìng ràng dà chén men jìn jiàn, xī wàng tā men néng gòu tí chū yī xiē hǎo de jiàn yì. rán ér, dà duō shù dà chén men dōu wéi wéi nuò nuò, bù gǎn shuō chū zì jǐ de zhēn shí xiǎng fǎ, tā men shēng pà chù nù le huáng dì, huì zhāo lái huò huàn. cài yòu xué kàn dào zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng hòu, gǎn dào fēi cháng tòng xīn, tā rèn wéi guó jiā xiǎng yào xīng shèng, jiù xū yào yǒu shí zhī shì xiàn jì xiàn cè, ér bù shì yī wèi de chén mò bù yǔ. yú shì, tā shàng shū huáng dì, zhí yán bù huì de pī píng le nà xiē “duō shì yíng tíng ér yī chóu mò tǔ” de xiàn xiàng, tā zhǐ chū, zhǐ yǒu guǎng xīng xué xiào, luó zhì rén cái, zhòng yòng nà xiē yǒu zhēn cái shí xué de rén, guó jiā cái néng zhēn zhèng qiáng dà qǐ lái. tā de jiàn yán suī rán hěn jiān ruì, què yě tǐ xiàn le tā duì guó jiā qián tú de dān yōu, hé duì rén cái de kě wàng.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, there was a scholar named Cai Youxue, known for his extensive knowledge and his courage to speak his mind. After Emperor Ningzong ascended the throne, he ordered his officials to offer advice, hoping to get some good suggestions. However, most officials were timid and dared not speak their true thoughts, fearing the wrath of the emperor and possible repercussions. Cai Youxue, upon seeing this situation, felt very distressed. He believed that for the country to prosper, it needed knowledgeable individuals to contribute ideas and strategies, rather than simply remaining silent. So, he wrote a letter to the emperor, bluntly criticizing the phenomenon of “many scholars at the court, but not a single plan offered”. He pointed out that the country could only become truly strong if it established schools, recruited talents, and employed those with real skills and knowledge. His criticism, while sharp, also reflected his concern for the country's future and his longing for talent.

Usage

这个成语常用来形容遇到困难无法解决，束手无策的状态。

zhè ge chéng yǔ cháng yòng lái xíng róng yù dào kùn nan wú fǎ jiě jué, shù shǒu wú cè de zhuàng tài.

This idiom is often used to describe a state of being unable to solve a problem, feeling helpless and at a loss.

Examples

面对如此复杂的局势，我们都一筹莫展，不知该如何是好。

miàn duì rú cǐ fú zá de jú shì, wǒ men dōu yī chóu mò zhǎn, bù zhī rú hé kāi shì hǎo.

Faced with such a complex situation, we are all at a loss, not knowing what to do.
这个问题太难了，我完全是一筹莫展，没有任何头绪。

zhè ge wèn tí tài nán le, wǒ wán quán shì yī chóu mò zhǎn, méi yǒu rén hé tóu xù.

This problem is too difficult. I am completely at a loss, with no clue where to start.

Explanation

Origin Story

Usage

Examples

Related Idioms

Opposite Idioms