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心有余而力不足

xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú

7-character word Traditional 心有餘而力不足

What 心有余而力不足 means

1. the will is there, but not the strength (idiom)
2. the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

The characters in 心有余而力不足

• 心xīnheart; mind; intention
• 有yǒuto have; there is; (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意
• 余yú(literary) I; me; variant of 余
• 而érand; as well as; and so
• 力lìpower; force; strength
• 不bùno; not so; (bound form) not; un-
• 足zú(bound form) foot; leg; sufficient; ample; as much as; fully

Example sentences

• 心有余而力不足。
  Xīnyǒuyú'érlìbùzú.
  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.