無可奈何
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See also: 无可奈何
Chinese[edit]
cannot; can't | |||
---|---|---|---|
trad. (無可奈何) | 無可 | 奈何 | |
simp. (无可奈何) | 无可 | 奈何 | |
alternative forms | 無可柰何/无可柰何 |
Pronunciation[edit]
Verb[edit]
無可奈何
- to have no way out; to have no alternative; to have no choice; to feel helpless about; to be unable to do anything with; to resign oneself to (doing something unpleasant); to be at the end of one's resources
- 無可奈何花落去,似曾相識燕歸來。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: 11th century, Yan Shu, “Sand of Silk-Washing Stream – A New Piece of Ci and a Cup of Wine”
- Wúkěnàihé huā luòqù, sìcéngxiàngshí yàn guīlái. [Pinyin]
- [I] feel helpless about the flowers falling downwards / and seem to recognize the swallows coming back.
无可奈何花落去,似曾相识燕归来。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Synonyms[edit]
Dialectal synonyms of 沒辦法 (“there is nothing to be done; it cannot be helped; there is no choice; there is no way”) [map]
Descendants[edit]
References[edit]
- Fielde, Adele Marion (1883) “無/无 (bô̤)”, in A Pronouncing and Defining Dictionary of the Swatow Dialect, Arranged According to Syllables and Tones, Shanghai: American Presbyterian Mission Press, page 15
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