僵局 jiāngjú impasse
impasse; deadlock
How to remember 僵局: 僵 stiff + 局 office = impasse.
Characters
How it is used
- A deadlock/impasse where neither side can move - 陷入僵局 (xiànrù jiāngjú) to fall into a stalemate; 打破僵局 (break the deadlock).
- From negotiations, conflicts, or games; the 僵 (stiff/frozen) + 局 (situation) = a frozen standoff.
- Common with 陷入 (fall into) and 打破 (break). Formal-neutral register in news and business.
Example sentences
- 我们必须设法打破这个僵局。 Wǒmen bìxū shèfǎ dǎpò zhège jiāngjú.We must try to break the deadlock.