Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Powerless, helpless: Lacking the strength, ability, or power to act, change a situation, or achieve a desired outcome. It describes a state of being unable to do anything effective.
   • Impotent: Often used in formal or medical contexts to describe a lack of power or efficacy, or specifically, male sexual impotence.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ấy cảm thấy hoàn toàn bất lực khi không thể giúp đỡ người thân. (He felt completely helpless when he couldn't help his relative.)
  • Chính quyền tỏ ra bất lực trong việc kiểm soát lạm phát. (The government appeared powerless in controlling inflation.)
  • Con người không bao giờ chịu bất lực trước thiên nhiên. (Man will never resign himself to remaining powerless in the face of nature.)

Advanced Usage

• "bất lực trước...": helpless/powerless in the face of...; impotent against...
  • Bất lực trước số phận. (Helpless in the face of fate.)
• Used in formal or literary contexts to emphasize a profound lack of agency.
  • Một nỗi buồn bất lực. (A feeling of impotent sorrow.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sự bất lực (n): Powerlessness, helplessness, impotence.
  • Cảm giác sự bất lực thật đáng sợ. (The feeling of helplessness is truly frightening.)
• Bất tài (adj): Incompetent, incapable (focuses on lack of skill/ability rather than general powerlessness).

Synonyms

• Vô phương: Having no way/method (to do something).
• Bó tay: Literally "to tie one's hands"; to be unable to do anything, to give up.
• Bất khả kháng: Irresistible, compelling (often used in legal contexts like - force majeure); when describing a state, it implies something is beyond one's power to resist or change.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Bất lực vô phương: Completely helpless and without recourse.
  • Các bác sĩ đã bất lực vô phương trước căn bệnh hiểm nghèo. (The doctors were completely helpless against the severe illness.)
• Đành bất lực: To have no choice but to accept one's powerlessness.
  • Chứng kiến tai nạn mà đành bất lực. (To witness an accident and be forced to accept one's helplessness.)

adj

1. Powerless, helpless, impotent
   • con người không bao giờ chịu bất lực trước thiên nhiên
     man will never resign himself to remaining powerless in face of nature