1.
a last stand with no retreat; a do-or-die position
A situation deliberately entered with no line of retreat, so that the only option is to win. Used both of circumstances forced on someone and of a resolve someone takes on themselves.
Literally "a battle formation with one's back to the water." From a Chinese account of the general 韓信, who drew his troops up against a river so that they could not flee and had to fight to win.
Common collocations
- 背水の陣を敷く: to take up a no-retreat position
- 背水の陣で臨む: to face something with no way back
- まさに背水の陣だ: it is truly a last stand
Usage
Common in sports reporting and business writing about a decisive final attempt. It describes a deliberate commitment, so it fits poorly where someone is simply unlucky or cornered by accident.