刀尖儿上打拳，站不住脚刀尖兒上打拳，站不住腳刀尖兒上打拳，站不住腳

boxing on a knife point: can't keep a footing

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now

Meaning: Said of someone whose position is so insecure that they cannot hold it.
Wordplay: 站不住脚 (zhàn bù zhù jiǎo) means literally can't stand firm, and figuratively cannot hold one's ground or position.

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Simplified: 刀尖儿上打拳，站不住脚
Traditional (Taiwan): 刀尖兒上打拳，站不住腳
Pinyin: dāo jiānr shàng dǎquán, zhànbúzhùjiǎo
Bopomofo: ㄉㄠㄐㄧㄢㄦㄕㄤˋ ㄉㄚˇ ㄑㄩㄢˊ，ㄓㄢˋ ㄅㄨˊ ㄓㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄠˇ

Written with HSK 4 vocabulary, at CEFR level B1.

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