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彈盡糧絕

简弹尽粮绝 · 繁彈盡糧絕

Mandarin · pinyin dàn jìn liáng jué

out of ammunition and no food left (idiom); in desperate straits

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彈: Look up this written character
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弹: dàn · pellet, bullet, shot, shell
尽: jǐn · exhaust, use up; deplete
粮: liáng · food, grain, provisions
绝: jué · to cut, sever, break off, terminate

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Mandarin tones

4–4–2–2 · dan4 jin4 liang2 jue2

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

daan2 zeon6 loeng4 zyut6

Pleco · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Word reading; meanings not aligned.

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(literally, of an army) to run out of ammunition and food supply
(figuratively) to be in a desperate situation

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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