心有餘而力不足
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Chinese[edit]
heart; mind | and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast) |
power; force; strength | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (心有餘而力不足) | 心 | 有餘 | 而 | 力 | 不足 | |
simp. (心有余而力不足) | 心 | 有余 | 而 | 力 | 不足 |
Etymology[edit]
From Dream of the Red Chamber:
- 賈政冷笑道:「你有多大本領!上頭說了一句大開門的散話,如今又要一句連轉帶煞,豈不心有餘而力不足呢?」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
- Jiǎ Zhèng lěng xiàodào: “Nǐ yǒu duōdà běnlǐng! Shàngtóu shuō le yījù dà kāimén de sànhuà, rújīn yòu yào yījù lián zhuǎn dài shā, qǐbù xīnyǒuyú'érlìbùzú ne?” [Pinyin]
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
贾政冷笑道:「你有多大本领!上头说了一句大开门的散话,如今又要一句连转带煞,岂不心有余而力不足呢?」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation[edit]
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄣ ㄧㄡˇ ㄩˊ ㄦˊ ㄌㄧˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄨˊ
- Tongyong Pinyin: sin yǒuyú ér lì bùzú
- Wade–Giles: hsin1 yu3-yü2 êrh2 li4 pu4-tsu2
- Yale: syīn yǒu-yú ér lì bù-dzú
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shin yeouyu erl lih butzwu
- Palladius: синь ююй эр ли буцзу (sinʹ jujuj er li buczu)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ɕin⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ y³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ t͡su³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: sam1 jau5 jyu4 ji4 lik6 bat1 zuk1
- Yale: sām yáuh yùh yìh lihk bāt jūk
- Cantonese Pinyin: sam1 jau5 jy4 ji4 lik9 bat7 dzuk7
- Guangdong Romanization: sem1 yeo5 yu4 yi4 lig6 bed1 zug1
- Sinological IPA (key): /sɐm⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ jyː²¹ jiː²¹ lɪk̚² pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʊk̚⁵/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Idiom[edit]
心有餘而力不足
- the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak; to be unable to do what one wants very much to do; to have the ambition but lack the ability