背はい水すいの陣じん

は

い

す

い

の

じ

ん

Meanings

1

expression, noun

last stand; fighting with one's back to the wall; last-ditch effort

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic expression describing a situation where one must fight with no retreat, often used metaphorically for a desperate, all-out effort. Originates from a historical Chinese battle strategy.

彼かれは背はい水すいの陣じんで試し験けんに臨のぞんだ。
He faced the exam with his back to the wall.

会かい

社しゃ

は

背はい

水すい

の

陣じん

で

新しん

製せい

品ひん

を

開かい

発はつ

し

て

いる

。

The company is making a last-ditch effort to develop a new product.

Written forms

背はい水すいの陣じん
Standard kanji spelling.
背はい水すい之の陣じん
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 之 is an older character for の.

Kanji

背stature, height, back
水water
陣camp, battle array, ranks
之of, this

Similar words

絶ぜっ体たい絶ぜつ命めい
絶体絶命 describes a hopeless, desperate situation, while 背水の陣 emphasizes the resolve to fight with no way back.
乾けん坤こん一いっ擲てき
乾坤一擲 is a decisive, all-or-nothing gamble, whereas 背水の陣 focuses on the forced, no-retreat stance.

Etymology

From a historical Chinese battle tactic where a general positioned his army with a river at their back, leaving no retreat and forcing them to fight to the death. The phrase entered Japanese as a four-character idiom.