无从下手

無從下手
wúcóng-xiàshǒu
idiom #34,235

Meanings

  1. 1 not know where to start
  2. 2 have no clue how to begin
  3. 3 be at a loss as to how to proceed

Examples

HSK 6
Miànduì zhème duō rènwù, tā yīshí wúcóng-xiàshǒu.
Faced with so many tasks, he had no idea where to start.
HSK 7-9
Ànqíng fùzá, jǐngfāng wúcóng-xiàshǒu.
The case was complicated and the police didn't know where to begin.

Tips

usage
无从下手 literally means 'no path from which to lower the hand' - there's no obvious place to lay your hand to grab the problem. Use it for daunting, tangled, or unfamiliar tasks. Synonyms: 不知所措 (at a loss what to do), 一筹莫展 (can't think of a single plan).

Stroke Order

cóng
xià
shǒu