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爱莫能助 (ài mò néng zhù) — (idiom) willing but unable to help; sympathetic inability to assist

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning 'I would help but I'm unable to' — used to politely express regret when you can't assist, not a request for help.

idiom
willing but unable to helpsympathetic inability to assist

Examples

  • ，爱莫能助。
    Wǒ yě xiǎng bāng nǐ, dàn shí zài shì ài mò néng zhù.
    I'd like to help you too, but I really can't.
  • 爱莫能助，。
    Zhè jiàn shì wǒ ài mò néng zhù, nǐ hái shì zhǎo bié rén ba.
    I'm willing but unable to help with this matter — you'd better ask someone else.
  • 爱莫能助，。
    Kàn dào nǐ yǒu kùn nan wǒ què ài mò néng zhù, xīn lǐ hěn nán guò.
    Seeing you in trouble but being unable to help makes me very sad.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 愛; 爱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
旡
旡jì愛ài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 愛, an older shape paired 心 (heart) with 旡 as its sound part; later a foot-like 夊 was added below. The simplified 爱 is a later variant that replaces the lower part with 友.

Open 爱 →

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

The shape of 莫 shows a sun sinking into bushes, meaning dusk.

Open 莫 →

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 →

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
力力lìstrong arm
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě助zhù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

助 pairs 力, a strong arm, with 且, which gives the sound; the meaning is help with strength.

Open 助 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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