束手无策

shù shǒu wú cè

HSK 7–9

Meaning

lit. to have one's hands bound and be unable to do anything about it (idiom); fig. helpless in the face of a crisis

像手被捆住一样，毫无办法。形容遇到问题没有解决的办法。

Like having one's hands tied, having no solution. Describes being at a loss when faced with a problem.

常用于形容面对困难或紧急情况时，由于缺乏方法或资源而无法应对。

Often used to describe being unable to cope with difficulties or emergencies due to lack of methods or resources.

1 面对突如其来的疫情，许多小企业束手无策。(Faced with the sudden outbreak, many small businesses were helpless.)
2 他考试时遇到一道难题，顿时束手无策。(He encountered a difficult problem during the exam and was at a loss.)
3 洪水泛滥，当地居民束手无策，只能等待救援。(The flood was severe, and the local residents were helpless, only waiting for rescue.)
4 电脑突然死机，我束手无策，只好找技术人员帮忙。(The computer suddenly crashed, and I was at a loss, so I had to ask a technician for help.)
5 谈判陷入僵局，双方都束手无策。(The negotiations reached a deadlock, and both sides were at a loss.)

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