无
能
为
力

Impotent (idiom) in Chinese: 无能为力 (wú néng wéi lì)

wú néng wéi lì

impotent (idiom)

HSK 3.0 Levels 7-9Traditional: 無能為力1 example sentence

Definitions

  1. 1impotent (idiom)
  2. 2powerless
  3. 3helpless

Stroke order

Watch how to write 无能为力 stroke by stroke.

无
能
为
力

Zhuyin

This word’s pronunciation in Bopomofo.

Learn how to read Zhuyin

ㄨˊ

wú

ㄨ/ uˊ/ second tone

ㄋㄥˊ

néng

ㄋ/ nㄥ/ engˊ/ second tone

ㄨㄟˊ

wéi

ㄨ/ uㄟ/ eiˊ/ second tone

ㄌㄧˋ

lì

ㄌ/ lㄧ/ iˋ/ fourth tone

Simplified & traditional

无能为力

Simplified

無能為力

Traditional

Example sentences

See 无能为力 used in real sentences with pinyin and English translations.

  • 对于他的困难，我也无能为力。

    duì yú tā de kùn nán， wǒ yě wú néng wéi lì。

    Regarding his difficulties, I too am powerless to help.

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Related words

能

néng

can

为

wèi

because of

无

wú

not to have

力

lì

power

可能

kě néng

might (happen)

因为

yīn wèi

because

努力

nǔ lì

to make an effort

认为

rèn wéi

to believe

为了

wèi le

for

以为

yǐ wéi

to think (i.e. to take it to be true that ...) (Usually there is an implication that the notion is mistaken – except when expressing one's own current opinion.)

成为

chéng wéi

to become

力气

lì qi

strength

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Levels 7-9 vocabulary list

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