狼狈

• ピンイン: láng bèi
• 漢字の分解: 狼 = 犭(dog) + 良 — wolf; 狈 = 犭(dog) + 贝 (shell) — mythical creature

意味

狼狽する；みじめで取り乱した

Describes a state of being in trouble, embarrassed, or in disarray. Can describe physical appearance (disheveled) or situation (predicament). Often used with 不堪 (unbearably).

例文

1. 他被雨淋得狼狈不堪。
2. 撒谎被拆穿后，他显得十分狼狈。
3. 敌军狼狈逃窜。

使い方ガイド

場面: embarrassment, difficulty, appearance

トーン: descriptive

正しい言い方

• 他逃跑的样子很狼狈。(He looked disheveled when he ran away.)
• 狼狈为奸。(To collude in evil — idiom from the 狼狈 legend.)

避ける言い方

• 用狼狈形容正常的困难。(狼狈 implies embarrassing disarray — use 困难 for ordinary difficulties)

起源と歴史

From a legend about two mythical creatures — 狼 and 狈 — who must cooperate because 狈 has short front legs. Alone, each is helpless.

文化的背景

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal