束手无策
束手无策 (shù shǒu wú cè) literally means “bind hands no strategy” and expresses “completely helpless without options”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: shu shou wu ce, shu shou wu ce,束手无策 meaning, 束手无策 in english
Completely helpless without options
Pronunciation: shù shǒu wú cè
Literal meaning: Bind hands no strategy
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes the state of having bound (束) hands (手) with no (无) available strategies (策), originating from Spring and Autumn period military texts. It first appeared in historical accounts of surrounded armies without escape routes or battle plans. The physical image of bound hands vividly conveys the psychological experience of constraint and helplessness. During the Song Dynasty, it gained wider usage in political discourse, describing administrative situations with no viable policy options. Unlike idioms describing simple difficulty, it suggests complete absence of available solutions. Modern usage describes situations where even experts find themselves without workable approaches, particularly in unprecedented crises where experience provides no guidance.
Examples
English: "The management team was completely helpless when facing the unprecedented crisis"
Chinese: 管理团队在面对这场前所未有的危机时束手无策
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Related Chinese Idioms
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 束手无策 mean in English?
束手无策 (shù shǒu wú cè) literally translates to “Bind hands no strategy” and is used to express “Completely helpless without options”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 束手无策 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving completely helpless without options.
What is the pinyin for 束手无策?
The pinyin pronunciation for 束手无策 is “shù shǒu wú cè”.