Chinese

		four directions; all sides; all around	distinct; clear; orderly distinct; clear; orderly; pain; suffering; ancient place name; (a surname)	song
simp. and trad. (四面楚歌)		四面	楚	歌

Idiom

四面楚歌

1. facing hostility, difficulty, or frustration on all sides
   • 當地時間8月7日，四面楚歌的蘭迪斯為自己做出了最後的辯護。這是他在B瓶尿樣呈陽性結果被披露後接受的第一次採訪。 [MSC, trad.]
     当地时间8月7日，四面楚歌的兰迪斯为自己做出了最后的辩护。这是他在B瓶尿样呈阳性结果被披露后接受的第一次采访。 [MSC, simp.]
     From: 2006: Dongfang Zaobao staff, 四面楚歌最后辩护 兰迪斯：国际自联逼我上绝路 (Making a final defense while besieged on all sides --- Landis: UCI is leaving me with no options)

     Dāngdì shíjiān 8 yuè 7 rì, sìmiànchǔgē de Lándísī wèi zìjǐ zuò chū le zuìhòu de biànhù. Zhè shì tā zài B píng niàoyàng chéng yángxìng jiéguǒ bèi pīlù hòu jiēshòu de dìyīcì cǎifǎng. [Pinyin]

     Floyd Landis, besieged on all sides, put up a final defense on August 7, local time. This was his first interview since his B urine sample revealed the presence of testosterone.

Japanese

Noun

四面楚歌 ‎(hiragana しめんそか, romaji shimensoka)

1. facing hostility, difficulty, or frustration on all sides

   この失敗 (しっぱい)で私 (わたし)はまったくの四面楚歌 (しめんそか)に追 (お)い込 (こ)まれてしまった。

   Kono shippai de watashi wa mattaku no shimensoka ni oikomareteshimatta.

   As a result of this failure, I am now completely cut off and surrounded.

References

• 2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, ISBN 4095102535.