未能 (wèi néng) — to fail to; to be unable to (formal)

Definition

未能 (wèi néng) is a formal way to say 'failed to' or 'was unable to' — it negates the outcome of an action, not a capability. In writing, 它 is a more literary alternative to 不能.

auxiliary verb
to fail toto be unable to (formal)

Examples

  • 未能。
    Tā wèi néng àn shí wán chéng zuò yè.
    He failed to complete his homework on time.
  • 未能。
    Zhè cì huì yì wèi néng dá chéng gòng shí.
    This meeting failed to reach a consensus.
  • ，未能。
    Suī rán nǔ lì le, dàn zuì zhōng hái shì wèi néng chéng gōng.
    Although he tried hard, in the end he still failed to succeed.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The shape 未 shows a tree with extra branches spreading above its trunk, like lush, overlapping limbs.

Open 未 →

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.

Open 能 →

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