Today’s Idiom
Word Breakdown
下不来 (xià bù lái) Can’t get down from
台 (tái) n. stage
Quick Answer
Definition & Usage
下不来台 is a colloquial collocation that means someone is being put on the spot, and finds oneself in an awkward situation. It serves as an adjective, always the adverb “很” and “非常” would be placed before it.
下 is a verb here, that means to go down. 下来 is the direction complement. Its negative form is 下不来. One can’t come down from the stage, everyone’s eyes are on him, and that would be embarrassing.
Example Sentences
她提的问题让被采访对象很下不来台。
Tā tí de wèntí ràng bèi cǎifǎng duìxiàng hěn xiàbùlái tái.
Her questions put the interviewee on the spot.
小王当场戳穿了经理的谎言，让经理很下不来台。
Xiǎo wáng dāngchǎng chuōchuān le jīnglǐ de huǎngyán, ràng jīnglǐ hěn xiàbùlái tái.
Xiao Wang exposed the manager’s lies on the spot, which made the manager very embarrassed.
Adam 向 Jenny 求婚，没想到竟被当场拒绝了，弄得 Adam 非常下不来台。
Adam xiàng Jenny qiúhūn, méi xiǎngdào jìng bèi dāngchǎng jùjué le, nòng dé Adam fēicháng xiàbùlái tái.
Adam proposed to Jenny, but he was rejected on the spot, which made Adam very embarrassed.