举步维艰

舉步維艱
jǔbùwéijiān
to make progress only with great difficulty (idiom)

CEDICT

difficult to move forward; difficult to make progress

Wiktionary

迈步困难（维：古汉语助词）。比喻环境困厄，办事难以进展。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 举步 jǔbù (literary) to move forward
2 维艰 wéijiān
  1. (literary) very difficult
  2. very difficult