独木难支

Pronunciation: dú mù nán zhī Literal meaning: A single tree cannot support

Origin & Usage

The idiom 独木难支 (dú mù nán zhī) originates from the Southern Dynasties period, specifically from Liu Yiqing's 'A New Account of the Tales of the World' (世说新语). The story involves Yuan Can, a notable figure of the Liu Song dynasty, who faced a dire situation when the rebel Liu Xiufan attacked the capital. Despite his valiant efforts, Yuan Can acknowledged that 'a single tree cannot support a collapsing building' (独木难支大厦倾), recognizing that his individual strength was insufficient to save the empire. The idiom breaks down as follows: 独 (dú, single), 木 (mù, tree), 难 (nán, difficult), 支 (zhī, support). In modern usage, it conveys the idea that one person's efforts are often inadequate to resolve a crisis, emphasizing the need for collective action.

Examples

English: "In times of crisis, relying solely on one person can lead to failure."

Chinese: 在危机时刻，单靠一个人是难以支撑的。