前ぜん途と多た難なん

ぜ

ん

と

た

な

ん

JLPTN1

Meanings

1

noun, na-adjective

many difficulties ahead; grim prospects

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

A yojijukugo used to describe a future that looks full of obstacles and hardships. Often used in formal or written contexts.

新しん事じ業ぎょうの立たち上

あ

げ

は

前ぜん

途と

多た

難なん

だ

。

Launching the new business faces many difficulties ahead.

前ぜん途と多た難なんな状じょう況きょうだが、諦あきらめずに進すすもう。

The situation is grim, but let's keep going without giving up.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉は前ぜん途と多た難なんだ〈事〉's road ahead is full of difficulties
新しん会かい社しゃの経けい営えいは前ぜん途と多た難なんだ。
The new company's management faces a rocky road ahead.
前ぜん途と多た難なんな〈事こと〉a 〈事〉 expected to face many difficulties
前ぜん途と多た難なんな船ふな出でとなった。
It turned out to be a rocky start.
前ぜん途と多た難なんを予よ感かんさせるto give a sense of foreboding about a difficult road ahead
初しょ日にちのトラブルは前ぜん途と多た難なんを予よ感かんさせた。
The trouble on the first day hinted at a difficult road ahead.

Kanji

前in front, before
途route, way, road
多many, frequent, much
難difficult, impossible, trouble

Related words

波は瀾らん万ばん丈じょう
波乱万丈 describes a life or story full of dramatic ups and downs (often looking back), while 前途多難 specifically warns that the future ahead looks hard.

Opposites

前ぜん途と有ゆう望ぼう
前途多難 describes a future full of hardship, while 前途有望 describes a future that looks bright and promising.
前ぜん途と洋よう々ようN1
前途多難 paints the road ahead as difficult, whereas 前途洋々 paints it as vast and full of bright possibility.

Don't confuse with

多た難なん
多難 alone just means 'full of difficulties' generally, while 前途多難 is the fixed yojijukugo specifically about future prospects.

Built from

前ぜん途と+多た難なん

Etymology

A yojijukugo composed of 前途 (future, prospects) and 多難 (many difficulties). The exact origin is uncertain, but it follows a common four-character pattern for describing situations.