Translation guide
Expresses being caught between two difficult choices or a troubling situation with no easy solution. Japanese offers several common expressions depending on whether the focus is on indecision, being stuck, or the emotional distress.
The speaker is struggling to decide between two options, both of which have drawbacks.
Literally 'caught between two boards'. A very common and natural way to say you are stuck between two opposing demands or people.
上司と部下の板挟みになっている。
I'm caught between my boss and my subordinates.
A direct loanword from English 'dilemma'. Used in more formal or abstract contexts, often for ethical or logical dilemmas.
彼は道徳的なジレンマに陥っている。
He is in a moral dilemma.
A formal, literary expression meaning 'stuck between advancing and retreating'. Used in serious or official situations.
交渉は進退両難に陥った。
The negotiations reached a stalemate.
The speaker is hesitating and cannot make up their mind, often due to conflicting feelings.
The most basic and versatile way to say you are undecided or wavering. Can be used for small daily choices as well as bigger dilemmas.
どの大学に行くか迷っている。
I'm torn about which university to go to.
Means 'finding it hard to decide'. Slightly more formal than 迷っている, emphasizing the difficulty of reaching a decision.
進路を決めかねている。
I'm having trouble deciding my career path.
The speaker is in a predicament with no good options, feeling trapped.
A very common word meaning 'to be troubled' or 'in a fix'. It conveys the distress of a dilemma without specifying the cause.
お金がなくて困っている。
I'm in a bind because I have no money.
Literally 'cannot move one's body', meaning you are stuck and cannot act freely. Emphasizes the lack of options.
借金で身動きが取れない。
I'm trapped by debt.
Means 'to be driven into a corner' or 'put in a predicament'. Stronger and more dramatic, often used in narratives.
彼は窮地に立たされた。
He was put in a tight spot.
板挟み is used for interpersonal conflicts (e.g., between two people), while ジレンマ is for abstract or logical dilemmas. 板挟み is more colloquial.
親と妻の板挟みだ。
I'm caught between my parents and my wife.
環境保護と経済発展のジレンマ。
The dilemma between environmental protection and economic development.
The English phrase 'be in a dilemma' is often translated too literally as ジレンマにいる, but ジレンマに陥る (fall into a dilemma) or 板挟みになる are much more natural. Also, 迷っている is a simpler and more common way to express indecision in daily conversation.
Literally 'to step with the second foot', meaning to hesitate or hold back from making a decision. Often used when one is reluctant to commit.
契約に二の足を踏んでいる。
I'm hesitating about the contract.