不可抗力 (bù kě kàng lì) — (law) an objective circumstance that cannot be foreseen, avoided, or overcome, serving as a ground for exemption from liability

Definition

Legal term (noun) for force majeure — an unforeseeable, unavoidable event (earthquake, flood, pandemic) that exempts a party from contractual liability. Used in contracts, insurance, and law.

verb
(law) an objective circumstance that cannot be foreseen, avoided, or overcome, serving as a ground for exemption from liability

Examples

  • 不可抗力，。
    Zhè cì dì zhèn shǔ yú bù kě kàng lì, gōng sī bú yòng péi cháng.
    This earthquake counts as force majeure, so the company doesn't have to compensate.
  • 不可抗力，。
    Hé tong lǐ xiě le bù kě kàng lì tiáo kuǎn, nǐ zǐ xì kàn kàn.
    The contract has a force majeure clause — take a close look.
  • 不可抗力，。
    Yīn wèi bù kě kàng lì, háng bān qǔ xiāo le.
    Due to force majeure, the flight was cancelled.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
亢
亢kàng抗kàng
Same sound today

抗 is made from 扌, a written form of 手 (hand), and 亢, which gives the sound.

Open 抗 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →

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