力 lì
- Strokes
- 2
- Radical
- 力 — strength, power
- How it's built
- Ideograph — the meaning is built from its parts
力不从心
lìbùcóngxīn
to feel unequal to a task despite one's willingness
Characters in this word
不 bù
- Strokes
- 4
- Radical
- 一 — one
- How it's built
- Ideograph — the meaning is built from its parts
心 xīn
- Strokes
- 4
- Radical
- 心 — heart
- How it's built
- Pictograph — a drawing of the thing
Example phrases
- 老院长仍想亲自查房，却因体力衰退而渐渐力不从心。 Lǎo yuànzhǎng réng xiǎng qīnzì cháfáng, què yīn tǐlì shuāituì ér jiànjiàn lìbùcóngxīn. The old hospital director still wanted to make the ward rounds himself, but his declining strength gradually left him unequal to the task.
- 年纪大了，想去爬山，却觉得力不从心。 Niánjì dà le, xiǎng qù páshān, què juéde lìbùcóngxīn. Being older, he wants to go hiking but feels unequal to it.
- 一个人要照顾三个孩子，她常常觉得力不从心。 Yí ge rén yào zhàogù sān ge háizi, tā chángcháng juéde lìbùcóngxīn. Looking after three children alone, she often feels she can't cope.