at one's wit's end; all one's tricks have been exhausted
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
at the end of one's tether; one's tricks have been exhausted
literary源自柳宗元《黔之驴》的寓言，比喻有限的本领已经用完，再也没有别的办法了。常用来讽刺人本领拙劣、外强中干，或某人/组织在应对问题时已无计可施。
Miàn面
duì对
xīn新
de的
jì技
shù术
tiǎo挑
zhàn战
，
nà那
jiā家
gōng公
sī司
Qián黔
lǘ驴
jì技
qióng穷
，
háo毫
wú无
duì对
cè策
。
Faced with new technological challenges, that company is at its wits' end and has no countermeasures.
Tā他
de的
sān三
bǎn板
fǔ斧
guò过
hòu后
biàn便
Qián黔
lǘ驴
jì技
qióng穷
，
zài再
yě也
tí提
bù不
chū出
shén什
me么
yǒu有
jiàn建
shè设
xìng性
de的
yì意
jiàn见
le了
。
After his few limited tricks, he has exhausted all his resources and can no longer offer any constructive opinions.
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Qí棋
zhì至
zhōng中
pán盘
，
tā他
yǐ已
shì是
Qián黔
lǘ驴
jì技
qióng穷
，
zhǐ只
néng能
yǎn眼
zhēng睁
zhēng睁
kàn看
zhe着
duì对
shǒu手
gōng攻
chéng城
lüè略
dì地
。
By the middle game, he was already at his wit's end and could only watch helplessly as his opponent captured territory.
Bú不
yào要
zǒng总
xiǎng想
yòng用
lǎo老
bàn办
fǎ法
jiě解
jué决
xīn新
wèn问
tí题
，
fǒu否
zé则
hěn很
kuài快
nǐ你
jiù就
huì会
Qián黔
lǘ驴
jì技
qióng穷
。
Don't always try to solve new problems with old methods, or you'll soon be at the end of your rope.