地步 dìbù stage
stage; degree (to which a situation has evolved); a (usually bad) situation; leeway
怎么记住“地步”: 地 ground + 步 a step = stage.
汉字
用法
- A (usually bad) point/state that a situation has reached - 到了这种地步 (dào le zhè zhǒng dìbù) come to such a pass; 穷到揭不开锅的地步 (qióng dào jiē bù kāi guō de dìbù) so poor one can't cook a meal.
- Also 'leeway' (留有地步). Mostly marks how far things have deteriorated. Colloquial and written.