Vocabulary

What does 四面楚歌 (しめんそか) mean?

四面楚歌 (しめんそか) means surrounded by enemies on all sides; completely isolated without allies or support (lit. songs of Chu on all four sides).

Quick facts
Reading	しめんそか

四面楚歌しめんそか

TOPICS

surrounded by enemies on all sides; completely isolated without allies or support (lit. songs of Chu on all four sides)

Example sentences

会議(かいぎ)で反対意見(はんたいいけん)ばかり出(で)て、提案(ていあん)した彼(かれ)は四面楚歌(しめんそか)の状態(じょうたい)に陥(おちい)った。
Nothing but objections came up at the meeting, leaving him—the proposer—completely surrounded by opposition.