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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

Explanations are written by a local model (gemma4) and only published after a verification pass against the cited sources. How it works.

Chinese

無能為力

/u³⁵ nɤŋ³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ li⁵¹/
powerless; helpless
  • 無能爲力
  • 无能为力
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Origin

The phrase is formed by combining four characters. 無 means to not have, there is not, or there does not exist. 能 refers to a kind of bear. 為, which is the simplified form of 爲, means to do, to accomplish, or to take action. The character 為 contains the components 又 (again; once more) and 象 (elephant). Finally, 力 means physical strength, physical power, or energy.

Confidence: high · written by gemma4:26b, checked statement-by-statement against the sources below.

無能為力由「無」、「能」、「為」與「力」組成。其中「無」表示沒有、不存在；「能」指一種熊；「為」表示做、完成或採取行動；「力」則指體力、體能或能量。

在字形結構上，「為」是「爲」的簡化形式，其組成成分包含「又」以及「象」。根據《國語辭典》的定義，這個詞彙用來形容沒有能力去完成或解決某件事情。

Confidence: high · written by gemma4:26b, checked statement-by-statement against the sources below.

Lineage

  • characterChinese無 “to not have; there is not; there does not exist”
  • characterChinese能 “a kind of bear”
  • characterChinese為 “to do; to accomplish; to take action”
    • simplified fromChinese爲
    • ideaChinese又 “again; once more”
    • ideaChinese象 “elephant (Classifier: 頭／头 m; 隻／只 m c mn)”
  • characterChinese力 “physical strength; physical power; energy”
Wiktionary etymology text

No etymology text yet. The graph shows what is known from the sources.

Meanings

phrase
  1. powerless; helpless

國語辭典 definitions

  1. 沒有能力完成或解決某件事。 例：事情已到這種地步，即使是萬能的天神也無能為力了。

© Ministry of Education, Taiwan — CC BY-ND 3.0 TW, shown unaltered.

Sources

  • etymagent (local gemma4:26b) — Generated
  • 教育部《國語辭典簡編本》 (Taiwan MOE) — CC BY-ND 3.0 TW
  • Written form — n/a
  • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0