有气无力 (yǒu qì wú lì) — feeble; listless; lacking energy

Definition

An idiom describing a person who looks weak and drained, with no energy in voice or movement — like speaking, walking, or sitting without any strength.

idiom
feeblelistlesslacking energy

Examples

  • 有气无力。
    Tā yǒu qì wú lì dì shuō le jǐ jù huà jiù zuò xià le.
    He said a few words feebly and then sat down.
  • 有气无力，。
    Bìng rén yǒu qì wú lì dì tǎng zài chuáng shàng, bù xiǎng dòng.
    The patient lay feebly on the bed, not wanting to move.
  • 有气无力，。
    Tā zǒu lù yǒu qì wú lì de, hǎo xiàng hěn lèi.
    He walked feebly, as if very tired.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

有气have breath
有yǒuhave气qìbreath
动宾Verb + object
无力no strength
无wúno力lìstrength
动宾Verb + object

It contrasts 有气 (having breath) with 无力 (lacking strength).

Characters in this word

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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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