し
四
めん
面
そ
楚
か
歌

noun, takes genitive case の

Messages.yoji.
  1. being surrounded by enemies on all sides, being betrayed (forsaken) by everybody.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
し
四
めん
面
そ
楚
か
歌
 四面楚歌 しめんそか

Contained Kanji Breakdown

four
よん　シ　よ (1st, N5)
box, box or enclosure radical (no. 31)
イ　コク (Kentei 1)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン　ニン　がい (Kentei 1)
mask, face, features
メン　おも　つら (3rd, N3)
whip, cane
ソ　すわえ　ショ (Kentei Pre-1)
grove, forest
リン　はやし　し (1st, N2)
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
head, counter for animals
ヒキ　ショ　ソ (Kentei Pre-1)
stop, halt
と.まる　シ　どめ (2nd, N4)
divining, fortune-telling, divination or katakana to radical (no. 25)
ボク　うらな.う　うらない (Kentei Pre-1)
song, sing
うた　カ (2nd, N4)
big brother
カ　コ　あに (Kentei 1)
can, passable, mustn't
カ　コク　-べ.き (5th)
street, ward, town
チョウ　テイ　チン (3rd, N1)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
lack, gap, fail
ケツ　か.ける　ケン (4th, N3)
knife, wrapping enclosure(勹) variant
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)