What 无能为力 means
- Powerless (helpless)
These meanings come from the same dictionary that powers the Chinese to Pinyin translator and the Chinese to English translator, so a whole sentence containing 无能为力 will read it the same way this page does.
Character by character
无能为力 is written with 4 characters. Chinese words are usually easier to remember once you can see what each part contributes.
How to write 无能为力
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Practise 无能为力 on printable 田字格 sheets, trace it in the writing practice tool, or watch any other character in the Stroke Order Animator.
Questions about 无能为力
What does 无能为力 mean in English?
无能为力 is pronounced wúnéngwéilì and means Powerless (helpless).
How do you pronounce 无能为力?
无能为力 is wúnéngwéilì in pinyin — written wunengweili without tone marks. Press the audio button on this page to hear it spoken by a native voice.
What are the characters in 无能为力?
无能为力 is written with 4 characters: 无 (wú) Not have (-less - not - never mind - un-), 能 (néng) Can (ability - capable - energy), 为 (wèi / wéi) For (in order to - because of); Act as (to be), 力 (lì) Strength (force - power). Knowing the parts is usually how the whole word becomes memorable.
How is 无能为力 written in traditional Chinese?
無能爲力. The simplified form 无能为力 is used in mainland China and Singapore; 無能爲力 is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. Both are pronounced wúnéngwéilì.
Is 无能为力 an HSK word?
Yes — 无能为力 is on the official HSK 6 vocabulary list. You can study it with the rest of that list on the HSK 6 page.
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