四面楚歌

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Chinese

four directions; all sides; all around
distinct; clear; orderly
distinct; clear; orderly; pain; suffering; ancient place name; surname
 
 song
simp. and trad.
(四面楚歌) 		四面 楚 歌
Literally: “surrounded on four sides by the songs of Chu”.

Etymology

In reference to the Battle of Gaixia:

During the Chu–Han Contention, Xiang Yu (項羽) found himself besieged in the city of Gaixia (垓下), by the coalition force of Han and the other kings. Jiujiang fell to Ying Bu and Liu Jia the preceding month, and most of the Kingdom of Chu was occupied by the Han army. When he heard the besieging troops singing songs in the Chu accent, Xiang Yu knew his kingdom had fallen.

The situation was also mentioned in Consort Yu's poem to her husband Xiang Yu after his suicide:

漢兵已略地，四方楚歌聲。大王意氣盡，賤妾何聊生。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
汉兵已略地，四方楚歌声。大王意气尽，贱妾何聊生。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Correct Meaning of the Records of the Grand Historian, by Zhang Shoujie
Hàn bīng yǐ lüè dì, sìfāng chǔ gēshēng. Dàwáng yìqì jìn, jiànqiè hé liáoshēng.
The Han army has conquered our land, Surrounded with the singing of Chu. My lord's spirits are low, Why then should I live?

Pronunciation

Note: Tone sandhi within chengyu often vary from person to person..

Idiom

四面楚歌

  1. facing hostility, difficulty, or frustration on all sides

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (四面楚歌):

Japanese

Kanji in this term
四 面 楚 歌
し
Grade: 1 		めん
Grade: 3 		そ
Jinmeiyō 		か
Grade: 2
on'yomi

Etymology

Yojijukugo (四字熟語), borrowed from Chinese 四面楚歌 (sìmiànchǔgē).

Noun

四(し)面(めん)楚(そ)歌(か) • (shimensoka) 

  1. hostility, difficulty, or frustration on all sides
    この失敗(しっぱい)で私(わたし)はまったくの四面楚歌(しめんそか)に追(お)い込(こ)まれてしまった。
    Kono shippai de watashi wa mattaku no shimensoka ni oikomareteshimatta.
    As a result of this failure, I am now completely cut off and surrounded.

References

  • 2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.
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