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難分難解

简难分难解 · 繁難分難解

Mandarin · pinyin nán fēn nán jiě

to become caught up in an irresolvable situation (idiom)

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Characters in this entry

難: Look up this written character
分: fēn · divide; small unit of time etc.
解: jiě · loosen, unfasten, untie; explain; hexagram ䷧
难: nán · difficult, arduous, hard; unable

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2–1–2–3 · nan2 fen1 nan2 jie3

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

難分難解 · find source passages ↗ · 难分难解 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

naan4 fan1 naan4 gaai2

Cantonese word readings for 難分難解. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

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

phrase

(idiomatic) to be locked in a stalemate in a fight or struggle
(of a romantic couple) to be intimate and inseparable

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

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