Definition

Adjective: - To be in a difficult position; to be cornered; to be at one's wit's end: Describes a state of being in a very difficult or desperate situation with no apparent way out, often due to a lack of resources or options.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Kẻ cướp bị cảnh sát bao vây, rơi vào thế túng thế. (The robber, surrounded by the police, was cornered.)
  • Công ty đang túng thế về tài chính nên buộc phải cắt giảm nhân sự. (The company is in a difficult financial position, so it is forced to downsize.)
  • Đội bóng đó đã túng thế hoàn toàn trước lối chơi phòng ngự chặt chẽ của đối thủ. (That team was completely at a loss against the opponent's tight defensive play.)

Advanced Usage

• "bị dồn vào thế túng thế": to be forced/pushed into a corner.
  • Sau nhiều câu hỏi của luật sư, nhân chứng bị dồn vào thế túng thế. (After the lawyer's many questions, the witness was forced into a corner.)
• "lâm vào cảnh túng thế": to fall into a predicament; to find oneself in a tight spot.
  • Sau trận lũ, nhiều gia đình lâm vào cảnh túng thế. (After the flood, many families found themselves in a tight spot.)

Variants and Related Words

• Túng thiếu (adj): Needy, in need; specifically refers to a lack of material necessities, especially money.
  • Gia đình túng thiếu nên đứa trẻ phải nghỉ học. (The family was needy, so the child had to drop out of school.)
• Bí thế (adj): To be in a stalemate or deadlock (often used in games like chess); to have no moves left.
• Đường cùng (n): Dead end, impasse; refers to a situation with no way out.

Synonyms

• Bế tắc: Stalemated, deadlocked, at an impasse.
• Khốn đốn: In dire straits, in a wretched/difficult situation.
• Cùng đường: At the end of one's rope, having no way out.

Related Idioms

• "Túng thế làm càn": When cornered/desperate, one acts recklessly. (Equivalent to "A cornered rat will bite" or "Desperate times call for desperate measures.")
  • Hắn ta vì túng thế nên mới làm càn như vậy. (He acted so recklessly because he was cornered.)
• "Đuối thế": To be at a disadvantage; to be losing one's position/strength in a competition or argument.
  • Thấy mình đuối thế trong cuộc tranh luận, anh ấy im lặng. (Seeing that he was at a disadvantage in the debate, he fell silent.)

adj

1. túng thiếu in necessity, needy