| 进退不得 |
jìn tuì bù dé |
can't advance or retreat (idiom); no room for maneuver / stalled / in a dilemma / stuck in a difficult position |
| 进 |
jìn |
to go forward / to advance / to go in / to enter / to put in / to submit / to take in / to admit / (math.) base of a number system / classifier for sections in a building or residential compound |
| 进退 |
jìn tuì |
to advance or retreat / knowing when to come and when to leave / a sense of propriety |
| 退 |
tuì |
to retreat; to withdraw / to reject; to return (sth) / to decline |
| 不 |
bù |
no; not so / (bound form) not; un- |
| 不得 |
bù dé |
must not / may not / not to be allowed / cannot |
| 得 |
dé |
to obtain / to get / to gain / to catch (a disease) / proper / suitable / proud / contented / to allow / to permit / ready / finished |
| 得 |
de |
structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc |
| 得 |
děi |
to have to / must / ought to / to need to |