背はい水すいの陣じん

は

い

す

い

の

じ

ん

Meanings

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.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Kanji

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

Related 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.

Built from

背はい水すい+陣じん

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.

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.