力
不
从
心

Less capable than desirable (idiom) in Chinese: 力不从心 (lì bù cóng xīn)

lì bù cóng xīn

less capable than desirable (idiom)

HSK 3.0 Levels 7-9Traditional: 力不從心1 example sentence

Definitions

  1. 1less capable than desirable (idiom); not as strong as one would wish
  2. 2the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Stroke order

Watch how to write 力不从心 stroke by stroke.

力
不
从
心

Zhuyin

This word’s pronunciation in Bopomofo.

Learn how to read Zhuyin

ㄌㄧˋ

lì

ㄌ/ lㄧ/ iˋ/ fourth tone

ㄅㄨˋ

bù

ㄅ/ bㄨ/ uˋ/ fourth tone

ㄘㄨㄥˊ

cóng

ㄘ/ cㄨ/ uㄥ/ engˊ/ second tone

ㄒㄧㄣ

xīn

ㄒ/ xㄧ/ iㄣ/ en—/ first tone

Simplified & traditional

力不从心

Simplified

力不從心

Traditional

Example sentences

See 力不从心 used in real sentences with pinyin and English translations.

  • 年纪大了，做很多事都感到力不从心。

    nián jì dà le， zuò hěn duō shì dōu gǎn dào lì bù cóng xīn。

    As one gets older, many things feel beyond one's strength.

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Related words

不

bù

no

从

cóng

from

力

lì

power

心

xīn

heart

担心

dān xīn

anxious

放心

fàng xīn

to feel relieved

关心

guān xīn

to be concerned about

努力

nǔ lì

to make an effort

小心

xiǎo xīn

to be careful

不但

bù dàn

not only (... but also ...)

不管

bù guǎn

not to be concerned

不过

bù guò

only

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Levels 7-9 vocabulary list

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