碰壁

• Pinyin: pèng bì
• Hanzi breakdown: 碰 (bump into) + 壁 (wall) -> hit a wall when trying to proceed.

Meaning

碰壁 means running into obstacles, rejection, or a dead end.

It can describe job hunting, negotiations, learning, relationships, or any attempt that repeatedly fails. The image is of hitting a wall while trying to move forward.

Examples

1. 他投了很多简历，一直碰壁。 He applied for a lot of jobs and kept running into dead ends.
2. 新方案沟通时在预算上碰壁。 The new proposal hit a wall when it came to the budget.
3. 别把一次延迟就说碰壁。 Don't call a single delay 碰壁.

Usage Guide

Context: job search, projects, negotiation

Tone: frustrated, realistic, setback-focused

Do Say

• 求职被拒多次可说碰壁。（It fits repeated rejection.）
• 方案推进受阻也可说碰壁。（It fits project obstacles.）

Don't Say

• 小等待或正常流程叫碰壁。（It implies obstruction.）

Common Mistakes

• Do not use 碰壁 for success after minor effort; it means blocked progress.

Origin & History

A long-standing metaphor of bumping into a wall became common in everyday setback talk.

Cultural Context

Era: 2020s

Generation: Broad speakers

Social background: Work, school, and job-search contexts

Regional notes: Common across Mainland China.