水深火熱

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See also: 水深火热

Chinese

water; river deep; profound
 
fire; angry; fierce
fire; angry; fierce; fiery; thriving
 
heat; to heat up; fervent
heat; to heat up; fervent; hot (of weather); warm up
trad. (水深火熱)
simp. (水深火热)
Literally: “the water is deep and the fire is hot”.

Etymology

From Mencius:

而已 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
而已 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE
shuǐshēn, rú huǒ, yì yùn éryǐ yǐ. [Pinyin]
If you make the water more deep and the fire more fierce, they will in like manner make another revolution.

Pronunciation


Idiom

(deprecated template usage) 水深火熱

  1. to be in deep distress; to be in deep water