行不通 (xíng bu tōng) — won't work; impossible; gets nowhere

Definition

A verb phrase meaning a plan, method, or idea 'won't work' or 'is not feasible.' It is intransitive: the object goes before it (这个办法行不通), not after.

verb
won't workimpossiblegets nowhere

Examples

  • 行不通
    Zhè ge bàn fǎ xíng bu tōng.
    This method won't work.
  • 行不通
    Tā de lǐ lùn zài xiàn shí zhōng xíng bu tōng.
    His theory is impractical in reality.
  • 行不通
    Zhè tiáo lù yǐ jīng xíng bu tōng le, wǒ men huàn yì tiáo ba.
    This road is no longer passable; let's take another.

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