This expression, " to be up the creek" (creek), means to be in a very difficult situation, to have a lot of problems. It comes in part from an expression, " to be up a creek without a paddle" (paddle).

这个表达“to be up the creek” （小溪），意思是处在非常困难的境地，有很多问题。 它部分来自一个表达， “没有桨就上小溪” （桨）。

" To be up a creek without a paddle" is to be in a situation where you can't get back to where you need to be, and that's why it is used to express this idea of having problems, having difficulties.

“To be up a creek without a paddle”是指处于一种你无法回到你需要去的地方的境地，这就是为什么它被用来表达有问题、有困难的意思。