力不从心力不從心 lì bù cóng xīn — less capable than desirable (idiom); not as strong as one would wish
lì (fourth tone, falling) bù (fourth tone, falling) cóng (second tone, rising) xīn (first tone, high and level)li4 bu4 cong2 xin1
Traditional: 力不從心
less capable than desirable (idiom); not as strong as one would wish
Levels 7–9· 2021 three-band, nine-level proficiency standardverb
Meanings
less capable than desirable (idiom); not as strong as one would wish
less capable than desirable (idiom); not as strong as one would wish; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
verb
Character breakdown
Words containing 力
- 力lì (fourth tone, falling)power
- 力量lì (fourth tone, falling) liang (neutral tone)power
- 能力nénglì (second tone, rising)ability, capability
- 压力壓力yā (first tone, high and level) lì (fourth tone, falling)pressure
- 努力nǔlì (third tone, dipping)hard-working, diligent; to make an effort
- 权力權力quán (second tone, rising) lì (fourth tone, falling)power
- 实力實力shí (second tone, rising) lì (fourth tone, falling)strength
- 魅力mèi (fourth tone, falling) lì (fourth tone, falling)charm
- 动力動力dòng (fourth tone, falling) lì (fourth tone, falling)power
- 暴力bào (fourth tone, falling) lì (fourth tone, falling)violence
- 巧克力qiǎo (third tone, dipping) kè (fourth tone, falling) lì (fourth tone, falling)chocolate (loanword)
- 全力quán (second tone, rising) lì (fourth tone, falling)with all one's strength
- 活力huó (second tone, rising) lì (fourth tone, falling)energy
- 精力jīng (first tone, high and level) lì (fourth tone, falling)energy
- 电力電力diàn (fourth tone, falling) lì (fourth tone, falling)electrical power
- 潜力潛力qián (second tone, rising) lì (fourth tone, falling)potential
- 有力yǒu (third tone, dipping) lì (fourth tone, falling)powerful
- 尽力盡力jìn (fourth tone, falling) lì (fourth tone, falling)to strive one's hardest
Words containing 不
- 不bù (fourth tone, falling)not (negates verbs, adjectives and modal verbs)
- 不要bù (fourth tone, falling) yào (fourth tone, falling)don't!
- 不错不錯bù (fourth tone, falling) cuò (fourth tone, falling)correct
- 不同bù (fourth tone, falling) tóng (second tone, rising)different
- 不断不斷búduàn (second tone, rising)continuously, unceasingly
- 不过不過búguò (second tone, rising)but, however (a lighter contrast than 但是)
- 不如bùrú (fourth tone, falling)to be not as good as; had better
- 不再bù (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling)no more
- 不用bù (fourth tone, falling) yòng (fourth tone, falling)need not
- 不少bù (fourth tone, falling) shǎo (third tone, dipping)many
- 不但búdàn (second tone, rising)not only … (but also)
- 差不多chàbuduō (fourth tone, falling)about the same, close enough, not much different
- 不然bùrán (fourth tone, falling)otherwise, or else
- 不管bùguǎn (fourth tone, falling)no matter (what/how…), regardless of
- 不足bùzú (fourth tone, falling)insufficient, inadequate; a shortcoming
- 不够不夠bù (fourth tone, falling) gòu (fourth tone, falling)not enough
- 不行bù (fourth tone, falling) xíng (second tone, rising)won't do
- 不仅不僅bù (fourth tone, falling) jǐn (third tone, dipping)not only (this one)
Words containing 心
- 心xīn (first tone, high and level)heart
- 中心zhōng (first tone, high and level) xīn (first tone, high and level)center
- 心理xīn (first tone, high and level) lǐ (third tone, dipping)mental
- 担心擔心dānxīn (first tone, high and level)to worry, to be anxious about
- 心里心裡xīn (first tone, high and level) li (neutral tone)chest
- 心情xīn (first tone, high and level) qíng (second tone, rising)mood
- 关心關心guānxīn (first tone, high and level)to care about, to be concerned for
- 小心xiǎoxīn (third tone, dipping)to be careful, to watch out for
- 放心fàngxīn (fourth tone, falling)to set one’s mind at rest, to stop worrying
- 耐心nàixīn (fourth tone, falling)patience; patient
- 内心內心nèi (fourth tone, falling) xīn (first tone, high and level)heart; innermost being
- 心中xīn (first tone, high and level) zhōng (first tone, high and level)central point
- 伤心傷心shāngxīn (first tone, high and level)sad, heartbroken, grieved
- 信心xìn (fourth tone, falling) xīn (first tone, high and level)confidence
- 恶心噁心è (fourth tone, falling) xīn (first tone, high and level)bad habit
- 心脏心臟xīn (first tone, high and level) zàng (fourth tone, falling)heart
- 真心zhēn (first tone, high and level) xīn (first tone, high and level)sincere
- 心灵心靈xīn (first tone, high and level) líng (second tone, rising)bright