弱不禁风

弱不禁風

ruòbùjīnfēng

idiom #33,866

Meanings

Tā kàn qǐlái ruòbùjīnfēng, qíshí hěn nénggàn.

She looks frail but she's actually very capable.

Bìng hòu de tā ruòbùjīnfēng.

After his illness he was too weak for even a breeze.

history

From Du Fu's poem 《江雨有怀郑典设》: 弱云狼藉不禁风 — 'wispy clouds torn, unable to withstand the wind'. Originally described clouds, now applied to people.

grammar

禁 here reads jīn (tone 1), meaning 'to bear / withstand', not jìn (tone 4) 'to prohibit'.

弱 ruò

不 bù

禁 jìn

风 fēng