Chinese word

无奈

Pronunciation

Pinyinwú nài

Meaning

  • adjectivehelpless

Example

我对他的做法感到无奈。wǒ duì tā de zuò fǎ gǎn dào wú nài

I feel helpless about the way he does things.

Illustration for 无奈 (helpless)

More examples

这样的安排实在让人无奈。zhè yàng de ān pái shí zài ràng rén wú nài

This kind of arrangement really makes people feel helpless.

Core concept

A situation leaves no effective way to change the outcome, so acceptance or a sigh is the only response.

Common phrases

  • 让人无奈ràng rén wú nài

    make people feel helpless

  • 无奈的选择wú nài de xuǎn zé

    a choice made out of necessity

Similar words

无可奈何wú kě nài hé: Reaching a point where nothing can be done except give up or accept the result.
无能为力wú néng wéi lì: Lacking the ability or power needed to solve or handle a problem.
无助wú zhù: Lacking support or assistance and unable to cope with a situation alone.

Definition in Chinese

表示对无法改变的事实感到无可奈何，只能无奈地接受或叹息的情绪或态度。biǎo shì duì wú fǎ gǎi biàn de shì shí gǎn dào wú kě nài hé zhǐ néng wú nài dì jiē shòu huò tàn xī de qíng xù huò tài dù

Word origin

无奈 (wúnài, "helpless") developed as a shortened form of 无可奈何 (wúkěnàihé, "there is nothing one can do"), so its modern sense retains the idea that no effective response remains.

Usage tips

  • Unlike English "unfortunately," this word presents a person's lack of control, so it suits situations where a result cannot be changed rather than a speaker's simple regret.

Other meanings

  • no choiceadjective

Opposites

  • 有希望yǒu xī wànghopefuladjective

Related words

  • 无奈感wú nài gǎnhelplessnessnoun

Word lists with this word