諺語 · a single proverb
心有餘而力不足
Simplified: 心有余而力不足
What does 心有餘而力不足 (xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú) mean?
心有餘而力不足 (xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "the heart has surplus but the strength falls short." In use it means: Wanting to help or accomplish something but lacking the resources or ability to do so; good intentions beyond current capacity. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Goat.
Literally: "the heart has surplus but the strength falls short."
The reading
The will is there. The body is not. Or the budget is not. Or the time is not. The gap between wanting and having the means to act on the wanting is one of the more frustrating addresses in the human experience. The person who feels this gap is not useless. They are honest about the architecture of the moment.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary expression; Analects tradition
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 心有餘而力不足 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 心有餘而力不足 (xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common literary expression; Analects tradition. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 心有餘而力不足?
In Mandarin it is xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 心有餘而力不足 aloud in Mandarin.