N1
しめんそか (shimen soka)
四面楚歌
surrounded by enemies on all sides; no allies, isolated; being in a hopeless situation
💡 Nuance & Usage:
A yojijukugo (four-character idiom) from a historical anecdote, meaning to be completely isolated and surrounded by difficulties or enemies, with no one to help. It implies a dire, helpless situation. (周囲に味方がおらず、孤立無援の状況に陥っていることを表す四字熟語です。)
📝 Example Sentences
彼の提案は誰も賛成せず、まさに四面楚歌の状況だった。
No one agreed with his proposal; it was truly a situation of being surrounded by enemies.
Practice Quiz
Test your understanding of "四面楚歌"!
彼は会社で孤立し、まさに_______の状態だった。
🎉 正解 / Correct!
日本語: 「孤立し」という状況と「四面楚歌」が完全に一致します。周囲に味方がいない状態を表します。
English: '孤立し' (isolated) perfectly matches '四面楚歌' (surrounded by enemies), which describes a state of having no allies.
English: '孤立し' (isolated) perfectly matches '四面楚歌' (surrounded by enemies), which describes a state of having no allies.
🦅
Want to pass the JLPT exam?
Project Eagle analyzes your personal weaknesses using advanced AI. Practice thousands of N5 to N1 questions completely for free!