立锥之地 Lì zhuī zhī dì a place to stick a pin

Explanation

形容极其狭小的空间或极度窘迫的处境。

Describes an extremely small space or an extremely difficult situation.

Origin Story

公元前206年，项羽率领楚军攻入咸阳，秦朝灭亡。项羽分封诸侯，却对刘邦等人十分忌惮，只给了他们一些边远小地，连安身立命的地方都很少。刘邦在这些地方整军练兵，积蓄力量，后来最终战胜了项羽，建立了汉朝。这充分说明，即使在看似微不足道的土地上，只要有决心和毅力，也能成就一番大事业。

Gongyuan qian 206 nian, Xiang Yu lvling Chu jun gongru Xianyang, Qin chao miewang. Xiang Yu fenfeng zhuhou, que dui Liu Bang dengren shifen jidan, zhi geile tamen yixie bianyuan xiaodi, lian anshen liming de difang dou hen shao. Liu Bang zai zhexie difang zhengjun lianbing, jixu liliang, houlai zhongyu zhanshengle Xiang Yu, jianlile Han chao. Zhe chongfen shuoming, jishi zai kaishi weibu zuode de tudi shang, zhi yao you juexin he yili, yeneng chengjiu yifang dashiye.

In 206 BC, Xiang Yu led the Chu army into Xianyang, and the Qin dynasty was destroyed. Xiang Yu enfeoffed the princes, but he was very wary of Liu Bang and others, giving them only some remote small areas where there was barely enough space to live. Liu Bang trained his troops in these areas, accumulating strength, and eventually defeated Xiang Yu and established the Han dynasty. This shows that even on seemingly insignificant land, with determination and perseverance, one can achieve great things.

Usage

主要用于否定句，指极其狭小的地方或非常窘迫的境地。

zhuyao yongyu fouding ju, zhi jiji xiaoxiao de difang huo feichang jiongpo de jingdi

Mainly used in negative sentences, referring to an extremely small place or a very difficult situation.

Examples

• 楚汉相争时，刘邦势力弱小，几乎无立锥之地。

  Chu Han Xiangzheng shi, Liu Bang shili ruoxia, jihu wu lizhui zhidi. Ta bei gongsi ci tui hou, jihu dao le wu lizhui zhidi

  During the Chu-Han contention, Liu Bang's forces were weak, and he had almost nowhere to stand.

• 他被公司辞退后，几乎到了无立锥之地

  After he was fired by the company, he was almost homeless.

Related Idioms

• 弹丸之地

• 方寸之地

Opposite Idioms

• 广阔无垠

• 一望无际