noun
finding a way out of a desperate situation; seeking life in the midst of death
A yojijukugo describing the act of struggling to survive or escape from a seemingly hopeless, life-threatening predicament. Often used in military, business, or personal crisis contexts.
彼は死中求活の策を練った。
He devised a plan to find a way out of the desperate situation.
経営危機の中で、社長は死中求活の一手を打った。
Amid the management crisis, the president made a desperate move to survive.
A yojijukugo composed of 死 (death), 中 (in), 求 (seek), and 活 (life). The exact origin is uncertain, but it follows a classical Chinese four-character pattern expressing the idea of seeking survival in a deadly predicament.