弱不禁风

弱不禁風

ruòbù-jīnfēng

idiom #33,866

Meanings

HSK 1

病后的他弱不禁风。

Bìng hòu de tā ruòbù-jīnfēng.

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

HSK 5

她看起来弱不禁风，其实很能干。

Tā kànqǐlái ruòbù-jīnfēng, qíshí hěn nénggàn.

She looks frail but she's actually very capable.

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