知难而退

Traditional: 知難而退

zhī nán ér tuì

Dictionary entry

(lit.) to sound out the difficulties and retreat to avoid defeat (idiom)

What does 知难而退 mean?

知难而退 (zhī nán ér tuì) has the following dictionary meaning.

1(lit.) to sound out the difficulties and retreat to avoid defeat (idiom)

2(fig.) to back out of an awkward situation; to get out on finding out what it's really like

Character breakdown

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知zhīto know · to be aware 难nándifficult (to...) · problem 而érand · as well as 退tuìto retreat; to withdraw · to reject; to return (sth)

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How to pronounce 知难而退

知难而退

zhī nán ér tuì

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Base dictionary data: CC-CEDICT · CC BY-SA 4.0.