无能为力

無能為力

wúnéng-wéilì

idiom HSK 7-9 #3,651

Meanings

1 powerless to do anything; helpless
2 unable to help

Characters

strength; effort

Literally 'unable to exert any effort' — not because of laziness, but because the situation is beyond one's power.

Examples

面对自然灾害，人类有时候无能为力。

Miànduì zìrán zāihài, rénlèi yǒushíhou wúnéngwéilì.

In the face of natural disasters, humans are sometimes powerless.

对不起，这件事我无能为力。

Duìbuqǐ, zhè jiàn shì wǒ wúnéngwéilì.

I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about this.

Tips

usage

Unlike 无能 (incompetent, a character flaw), 无能为力 expresses helplessness without blame — the situation is simply beyond anyone's control. It's a sympathetic way to say 'my hands are tied.'

Stroke Order

无 wú

能 néng

为 wéi

力 lì