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心有余而力不足
xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú
Pinyin
Definition
心有余而力不足
-
xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú
the will is there, but not the strength (idiom)
the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
Character Decomposition
心
心
有
𠂇
月
余
人
干
小
而
而
力
力
不
一
丿
卜
足
足
Related Words
(20)
不
bù
1
(negative prefix)
2
not
3
no
心
xīn
1
heart
2
mind
3
intention
4
center
5
core
6
CL:顆|颗[kē],個|个[gè]
心情
xīn qíng
1
mood
2
frame of mind
3
CL:個|个[gè]
有
yǒu
1
to have
2
there is
3
there are
4
to exist
5
to be
没有
méi yǒu
1
haven't
2
hasn't
3
doesn't exist
4
to not have
5
to not be
而
ér
1
and
2
as well as
3
and so
4
but (not)
5
yet (not)
6
(indicates causal relation)
7
(indicates change of state)
8
(indicates contrast)
开心
kāi xīn
1
to feel happy
2
to rejoice
3
to have a great time
4
to make fun of sb
一心
yī xīn
1
wholeheartedly
2
heart and soul
一心一意
yī xīn yī yì
1
concentrating one's thoughts and efforts
2
single-minded
3
bent on
4
intently
一无所有
yī wú suǒ yǒu
1
not having anything at all (idiom); utterly lacking
2
without two sticks to rub together
不久
bù jiǔ
1
not long (after)
2
before too long
3
soon
4
soon after
不但
bù dàn
1
not only (... but also...)
不仅
bù jǐn
1
not only (this one)
2
not just (...) but also
不到
bù dào
1
not to arrive
2
not reaching
3
insufficient
4
less than
不同
bù tóng
1
different
2
distinct
3
not the same
4
not alike
不堪
bù kān
1
cannot bear
2
cannot stand
3
utterly
4
extremely
不如
bù rú
1
not equal to
2
not as good as
3
inferior to
4
it would be better to
不妨
bù fáng
1
there is no harm in
2
might as well
不安
bù ān
1
unpeaceful
2
unstable
3
uneasy
4
disturbed
5
restless
6
worried
不少
bù shǎo
1
many
2
a lot
3
not few
Idioms
(20)
一不做,二不休
yī bù zuò , èr bù xiū
1
don't do it, or don't rest (idiom); either give up, or go through to the end
2
Since we started, we must carry it through whatever happens.
3
in for a penny, in for a pound
一哄而散
yī hōng ér sàn
1
to disperse in confusion (idiom)
一问三不知
yī wèn sān bù zhī
1
lit. to reply "don't know" whatever the question (idiom)
2
fig. absolutely no idea of what's going on
3
complete ignorance
一尘不染
yī chén bù rǎn
1
untainted by even a speck of dust (idiom); selfless and incorruptible
2
spotless
一夔已足
yī kuí yǐ zú
1
one talented person is enough for the job (idiom)
一失足成千古恨
yī shī zú chéng qiān gǔ hèn
1
a single slip may cause everlasting sorrow (idiom)
一字不提
yī zì bù tí
1
to not mention a single word (about sth) (idiom)
一山不容二虎
yī shān bù róng èr hǔ
1
lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom)
2
fig. this town ain't big enough for the two of us
3
(of two rivals) to be fiercely competitive
一心一德
yī xīn yī dé
1
of one heart and one mind (idiom)
一心二用
yī xīn èr yòng
1
to do two things at once (idiom)
2
to multitask
3
to divide one's attention
一成不变
yī chéng bù biàn
1
nothing much changes (idiom); always the same
2
stuck in a rut
一拥而入
yī yōng ér rù
1
to swarm in (of people etc) (idiom)
一文不值
yī wén bù zhí
1
worthless (idiom)
2
no use whatsoever
一日不见,如隔三秋
yī rì bù jiàn , rú gé sān qiū
1
one day apart seems like three years (idiom)
一望而知
yī wàng ér zhī
1
to be evident at a glance (idiom)
一概而论
yī gài ér lùn
1
to lump different matters together (idiom)
一毛不拔
yī máo bù bá
1
stingy (idiom)
一炮而红
yī pào ér hóng
1
to win instant success (idiom)
2
to become an instant hit
一无所有
yī wú suǒ yǒu
1
not having anything at all (idiom); utterly lacking
2
without two sticks to rub together
一瓶子不响,半瓶子晃荡
yī píng zi bù xiǎng , bàn píng zi huàng dang
1
lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
2
fig. empty vessels make the most noise
Sample Sentences
现在我是心有余而力不足了,稍微熬一点儿夜,第二天就忍不住打盹儿。
xiànzài wǒ shì xīnyǒuyúérlìbùzú le ,shāowēi áo yīdiǎnr5 yè ,dìèrtiān jiù rěnbuzhù dǎdǔnr5 。
Now I’ve the will but not the energy and a few late nights and the next day I can’t help snoring.
Play
Upper Intermediate
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