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力不從心

简力不从心 · 繁力不從心

Mandarin · pinyin lì bù cóng xīn

(idiom) to lack the ability to do what one would wish

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Characters in this entry

力: lì · power, capability, influence; Kangxi radical 19
不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
從: cóng · from, by, since, whence, through
心: xīn · heart; mind, intelligence; soul; 5th lunar mansion, determinative star α Scorpii (Antares)
从: cóng · from, by, since, whence, through

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–4–2–1 · li4 bu4 cong2 xin1

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

力不從心 · find source passages ↗ · 力不从心 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

lik6 bat1 cung4 sam1

Cantonese word readings for 力不從心. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to lack the ability to do what one wants; one's strength does not match one's ambitions; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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