力所能及 (lì suǒ néng jí) — within one's power; to the best of one's abilit…

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'within one's ability / power,' used to frame tasks, help, or effort as limited by what one can actually do.

phrase

within one's powerto the best of one's abilityas far as one can

力所能及。
Wǒ huì zuò lì suǒ néng jí de shì qing lái bāng zhù tā.
I will do everything within my power to help him.
力所能及，。
Zhǐ yào shì nǐ lì suǒ néng jí de, jiù jìn lì qù zuò.
As long as it's within your ability, just do your best.
。
Wǒ men yīng gāi jìn lì suǒ néng jí qù wán chéng zhè xiàng rèn wu.
We should do everything within our power to complete this task.

Characters in this word

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.

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

戶斤所

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

戶

戶hù所suǒ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

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

能 is an old picture of a bear, showing two paws and a face with an open mouth.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

及 pairs 人 (person) with 又 (hand), showing a hand grabbing a person.

Appears in