Chinese learners move from characters to idioms as the highest level. This free resource explains 「鳥窮則啄」 below.
For this session, we will be discussing the idiom 「鳥窮則啄」. See below for its meaning and practical usage.
A bird in desperate situation will peck back. It is a metaphor that people will take risks when they are desperate.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
niǎo qióng zé zhuó
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
niu5 kung4 jak1 deuk3/deung1
The world of Chinese idioms is massive, filled with countless expressions, each with distinct meanings and applications. These materials are here to support you as you improve your Chinese skills.
