软弱无力 (ruǎn ruò wú lì) — weak and feeble, powerless

Definition

Idiom for something (a person, argument, performance) that lacks strength or force. Used for both physical weakness and figurative weakness like a feeble argument.

idiom
weak and feeblepowerless

Examples

  • ，软弱无力。
    Tā dà bìng chū yù, shēn tǐ réng rán ruǎn ruò wú lì.
    He has just recovered from a serious illness and his body is still weak and feeble.
  • 软弱无力，。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng de lùn zhèng ruǎn ruò wú lì, quē fá shuō fú lì.
    The argument in this article is weak and lacks persuasiveness.
  • 软弱无力，。
    Tā zài tán pàn zhōng biǎo xiàn ruǎn ruò wú lì, méi néng zhēng qǔ dào yǒu lì tiáo jiàn.
    He performed weakly in the negotiations and failed to secure favorable conditions.

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.

软弱weak
软ruǎnsoft弱ruòweak
联合Side by side
无力powerless
无wúwithout力lìstrength
动宾Verb + object

软弱 (weak) and 无力 (powerless) combine to mean weak and feeble.

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 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
耎
耎ruǎn軟ruǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

Open 软 →

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

  • 弓弓gōngbow
  • 彡彡shānhair, meaning "decoration" in this case

弱 pairs 弓 (bow) with 彡 (hair), showing a decorative bow that is functionally inferior, or a shaking, worn-out bow.

Open 弱 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.