左支右絀

Chinese

		left	(a measure word); to support; to sustain (a measure word); to support; to sustain; to erect; to raise; branch; division; to draw money	right (-hand)	crimson silk; deficiency; to stitch
trad. (左支右絀)		左	支	右	絀
simp. (左支右绌)		左	支	右	绌

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zuǒzhīyòuchù

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄨㄛˇ ㄓ ㄧㄡˋ ㄔㄨˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zo² zi¹ jau⁶ zyut⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zuǒzhīyòuchù
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄨㄛˇ ㄓ ㄧㄡˋ ㄔㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zuǒjhihyòuchù
    • Wade–Giles: tso³-chih¹-yu⁴-chʻu⁴
    • Yale: dzwǒ-jr̄-yòu-chù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzuoojyyowchuh
    • Palladius: цзочжиючу (czočžijuču)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ joʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zo² zi¹ jau⁶ zyut⁶
    • Yale: jó jī yauh jyuht
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzo² dzi¹ jau⁶ dzyt⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: zo² ji¹ yeo⁶ jud⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔː³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ jɐu̯²² t͡syːt̚²/

Idiom

左支右絀

1. to be lacking in resources to deal with every problem at once