dúmùnánzhī

独木难支

Word · IdiomTraditional獨木難支

a single pole cannot support a building; one person's strength is insufficient to sustain a whole situation

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 3 examples
1.

idiom

one person's strength is insufficient; a single person cannot hold up the whole situation

formal

Used to describe a situation where the task is too great for one person alone; emphasizes the need for teamwork or collective effort. Often used in formal or semi-formal contexts.

Gōng公
sī司
miàn面
lín临
zhè这
me么
dà大
de的
wēi危
jī机
 ,
wǒ我
yī一
gè个
rén人
shí实
zài在
shì是
dú独
mù木
nán难
zhī支
 。

Facing such a big crisis in the company, my strength alone is truly insufficient.

Zhè这
xiàng项
gōng工
chéng程
hào浩
dà大
 ,
méi没
yǒu有
tuán团
duì队
hé合
zuò作
 ,
jiāng将
dú独
mù木
nán难
zhī支
 。

This project is massive; without teamwork, it will be impossible for one person to handle.

Show 1 more example
Zài在
lì历
shǐ史
de的
hóng洪
liú流
zhōng中
 ,
rèn任
hé何
yīng英
xióng雄
dōu都
nán难
yǐ以
dú独
mù木
nán难
zhī支
 。

In the torrent of history, no single hero can hold up the situation alone.