泥潭 nítán quagmire
How to remember 泥潭: 泥 mud + 潭 deep pool = quagmire.
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How it is used
- Literally a mud pit, but mainly figurative for a difficult situation you can't escape - 陷入泥潭 (xiànrù nítán) to sink into a quagmire.
- Common for wars, debt, or scandals that trap someone: 战争泥潭 (zhànzhēng nítán) the quagmire of war.
- Compare 沼泽 (zhǎozé), the literal natural marsh; 泥潭 is the go-to metaphor for being bogged down.