Definition
难产 literally means 'difficult childbirth' (难 + 产). It is used both as a medical term for difficult labor or dystocia, and figuratively for creative works, plans, or decisions that are slow to come or difficult to produce — e.g. 这部电影难产多年 ('this film was long in production'). The figurative sense is common in news and business contexts.
n.
(medicine) difficult labordystocia(figurative) slow in comingdifficult to produce or bring out (of creative works, plans, decisions, etc.)
Examples
- 难产。Tā yīnwèi nán chǎn zài yīyuàn dāi le shí jǐ gè xiǎoshí.She stayed in the hospital for over ten hours due to difficult labor.
- 难产,。Zhè bù xiǎoshuō chuàngzuò guòchéng shífēn nán chǎn, xiě le wǔ nián cái wánchéng.The process of writing this novel was very difficult; it took five years to complete.
- 难产,。Nàge gǎigé fāng'àn yìzhí nán chǎn, dào xiànzài hái méiyǒu tōngguò.That reform plan has been stalled in development and hasn't been passed yet.
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