yǎng wū xīng tàn
to stare at the ceiling in despair
to find no way out; nothing you can do about it; at the end of one's wits
仰
yǎng
to face upward
屋
wū
(bound form) house
兴
xīng
to rise
叹
tàn
variant of 嘆|叹[tan4]