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bất lực

Level ≈B2 (approx.) adjectiveverb Sino-Vietnamese Top 3,000 most common
Hanoi [ʔɓət̚˧˦ lɨk̚˧˨ʔ]Huế [ʔɓək̚˦˧˥ lɨk̚˨˩ʔ]Saigon [ʔɓək̚˦˥ lɨk̚˨˩˨] browser voice
Syllables · tones
bấtrisingsắclựcheavynặng

Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →

bất lực means powerless; helpless.

Chinese characters: 不力

Meanings of bất lực in English

Adjective

  1. powerless; helpless

Verb

  1. euphemistic to impotent, unable to achieve or sustain an erection, having impotentia coeundi ≈ liệt dương

Example sentences with bất lực

  • Tom cảm thấy bất lực và sợ hãi. Tom felt helpless and frightened.
  • Họ bất lực. They're powerless.
  • Anh ta cảm thấy bất lực về cuộc sống của chính mình. He feels powerless about his own life.
  • Thông thường, chúng ta cảm thấy bất lực khi phải đối mặt với những thách thức toàn cầu. Often, we feel powerless in the face of global challenges.

Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 不力.

Frequently asked questions

What does bất lực mean in English?

bất lực (adjective) means "powerless; helpless".

How do you pronounce bất lực?

IPA: Hanoi [ʔɓət̚˧˦ lɨk̚˧˨ʔ]; Saigon [ʔɓək̚˦˥ lɨk̚˨˩˨]. Tones: bất — rising tone (sắc), lực — heavy tone (nặng).

Is bất lực a Sino-Vietnamese word?

Yes. bất lực is a Sino-Vietnamese word from the Chinese characters 不力.

Meanings, pronunciation and etymology from English Wiktionary (wiktionary.org, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed and edited; example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). IPA shown for three accents: Hanoi (Northern), Huế (Central) and Saigon (Southern). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice, for reference only. Levels are approximate, estimated from word frequency. Spotted a mistake? Let NgonNgu know.