每天成语
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弱不禁风

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: ruò bù jīn fēng
  • English Translation: Too weak to stand a gust of wind (extremely fragile)
  • Idiom Composition: 「弱」（Weak or frail）＋「不」（Not or cannot）＋「禁」（To endure or withstand (pronounced jīn in this context)）＋「风」（Wind）
  • Meaning: Describes a person who is physically so weak or delicate that they seem as if they would collapse in a light breeze. It is used to describe a sickly constitution, a slender and fragile physique, or metaphorically, something that is structurally or mentally unstable.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「弱不禁风」 contains the following nuances:

  • Pronunciation of 禁 (jīn): In this idiom, 禁 is pronounced in the first tone (jīn), meaning 'to endure' or 'to bear,' rather than the fourth tone (jìn) used in 'to prohibit' (禁止 - jìn zhǐ). This is a common mistake for learners.
  • Shift in Nuance: Historically, this phrase could describe a 'fragile beauty' (a common trope in classical literature). However, in modern Chinese, it is more likely to be used negatively to describe someone as 'wimpy' or 'unhealthy,' or even sarcastically.

3. Usage

「弱不禁风」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Physical Frailty: The most common usage, describing someone who is physically weak due to illness or a naturally poor constitution.
    • Example:「大病一场之后，他变得弱不禁风，连走路都需要人搀扶。」
      （After a serious illness, he became too weak to stand a gust of wind and needed help just to walk.)
  • Delicate Appearance: Describing a woman's slender and fragile appearance. Depending on the context, this can imply a 'delicate beauty' or a 'lack of reliability.'
    • Example:「别看她外表弱不禁风，其实是个意志坚强的女孩。」
      （Don't be fooled by her fragile appearance; she actually has a very strong will.)
  • Metaphorical Fragility: Used critically to describe economic foundations or organizational structures that cannot withstand external pressure.
    • Example:「这家公司的财务状况弱不禁风，一点市场波动就可能导致破产。」
      （The company's financial situation is extremely precarious, and even a small market fluctuation could lead to bankruptcy.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 现在的孩子大多缺乏锻炼，看起来有些弱不禁风。
    （Perhaps due to a lack of exercise, many children today look a bit feeble.）
  2. 那棵小树苗弱不禁风，需要在旁边立根棍子支撑。
    （That sapling is too delicate to withstand the wind, so we need to put a stake next to it for support.）
  3. 不要以为我是弱不禁风的大小姐，我也能吃苦。
    （Don't think of me as a frail young lady; I can handle hardships too.）
  4. 这种弱不禁风的借口，根本无法说服大家。
    （Such a flimsy excuse will never convince anyone.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Aesthetics in Classical Literature: In works like Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦), characters like Lin Daiyu (林黛玉) were celebrated for their sickly, delicate beauty. In that era, 弱不禁风 (ruò bù jīn fēng) wasn't necessarily an insult. Today, however, health and vitality are preferred, so use caution when applying this to people.
  • Literary Origins: The phrase appears in the works of Tang Dynasty (唐朝) poet Du Fu (杜甫) and Song Dynasty (宋朝) poet Lu You (陆游). Originally, it was used to describe flowers or clouds swaying in the wind before it became a standard description for people.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

弱不禁风 (ruò bù jīn fēng) literally means 'too weak to endure the wind.' While it traditionally described the delicate beauty of women in classical literature, in modern contexts, it often carries a critical nuance of being 'wimpy' or 'feeble.' It can also be applied metaphorically to organizations or arguments that lack substance or resilience. Note that 禁 (jīn) is pronounced in the first tone here, meaning 'to endure.'

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

ruò bù jīn fēng
弱不禁风
Too Weak to Stand a Breeze
wǒ men我们cháng常shuō说，fēng风，shì是kàn bú jiàn看不见de的。

We often say that the wind is invisible.

chú fēi除非fēng风hěn很dà大，fǒu zé否则zài在dà duō shù大多数shí hòu时候，wǒ men我们zǒu走zài在jiē shàng街上，shèn zhì甚至gǎn jué感觉bú dào不到tā它de的cún zài存在。

Unless the wind is very strong, most of the time we walk down the street without even feeling its presence.

dàn shì但是，qǐng请xiǎng xiàng想象zhè yàng这样yí gè一个huà miàn画面：yí gè一个rén人de的shēn tǐ身体fēi cháng非常xū ruò虚弱，xū ruò虚弱dào到lián连zuì最qīng wēi轻微de的fēng风chuī吹guò lái过来，tā他dōu都hǎo xiàng好像zhàn站bù不wěn稳，shèn zhì甚至huì会yīn cǐ因此shēng bìng生病。

However, imagine this scene: a person's body is so weak that even the slightest breeze makes them feel unsteady or even fall ill.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种jí dù极度de的cuì ruò脆弱，jiào叫“ruò bù jīn fēng弱不禁风”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this extreme fragility called 弱不禁风.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase creates a very strong visual image.

“ruò弱”，shì是xū ruò虚弱；“fēng风”，shì是dà zì rán大自然lǐ里zuì最qīng轻de的lì liàng力量。

弱 means weak, and 风 is the lightest force in nature.

ér而zhōng jiān中间de的“jìn禁”，zài在zhè lǐ这里shì是“chéng shòu承受”huò zhě或者“rěn shòu忍受”de的yì si意思。

The character 禁 in the middle means to bear or endure in this context.

lián连fēng风dōu都chéng shòu承受bú zhù不住，zhè这shì是yī zhǒng一种shén me yàng什么样de的zhuàng tài状态ne呢？

What kind of state is it to be unable to even endure the wind?

zài在gǔ shí hòu古时候，wén rén文人men们yǒu shí hòu有时候huì会yòng用tā它lái来xíng róng形容yī zhǒng一种“bìng tài病态de的měi gǎn美感”。

In ancient times, literati sometimes used it to describe a kind of sickly aesthetic beauty.

bǐ rú比如yī wèi一位měi lì美丽de的nǚ zǐ女子，xiàng像shuǐ biān水边de的liǔ shù柳树yī yàng一样xiān xì纤细，suī rán虽然kàn qǐ lái看起来hěn很jiāo guì娇贵，dàn但yě也ràng让rén xīn shēng lián ài人心生怜爱。

For example, a beautiful woman as slender as a willow tree by the water might look delicate, but it also evokes a sense of pity and affection.

dàn但zài在xiàn dài现代shēng huó生活zhōng中，dāng当wǒ men我们shuō说yí gè一个rén人“ruò bù jīn fēng弱不禁风”shí时，tōng cháng通常shì是zài在miáo shù描述yī zhǒng一种ràng让rén人dān xīn担心de的shēn tǐ身体zhuàng kuàng状况。

In modern life, however, when we say someone is 弱不禁风, we are usually describing a worrying physical condition.

yě xǔ也许shì是yīn wèi因为shēng生le了yī cháng一场dà bìng大病，shēn tǐ身体hái还méi yǒu没有huī fù恢复；yě xǔ也许shì是yīn wèi因为quē fá缺乏duàn liàn锻炼，kàn qǐ lái看起来dān bó单薄wú lì无力。

Perhaps it is because they have just recovered from a serious illness, or perhaps they lack exercise and look thin and powerless.

zhè ge这个cí词tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们，jiàn kāng健康bù jǐn不仅jǐn仅shì是yǒu有lì qì力气，gèng更shì是yōng yǒu拥有yī zhǒng一种“fáng yù防御lì力”。

This idiom reminds us that health is not just about having strength, but also about having a sense of defense.

rú guǒ如果lián连fēng风zhè yàng这样qīng róu轻柔de的shì wù事物，dōu都néng能chéng wéi成为yī zhǒng一种wēi xié威胁，nà me那么zhè ge这个rén人miàn duì面对shēng huó生活de的fēng yǔ风雨shí时，gāi该duō me多么xīn kǔ辛苦。

If even something as gentle as 风 can become a threat, how difficult must it be for that person to face the storms of life?

suǒ yǐ所以，“ruò bù jīn fēng弱不禁风”suī rán虽然tīng qǐ lái听起来hěn很wēn róu温柔，dàn但tā它qí shí其实shì是zài在fǎn chèn反衬yī zhǒng一种“lì liàng力量de的quē shī缺失”。

Therefore, although 弱不禁风 sounds gentle, it actually highlights a lack of strength.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你kàn dào看到lù biān路边yī duǒ一朵zài在wēi fēng微风zhōng中jù liè剧烈yáo huàng摇晃de的xiǎo小huā花，huò zhě或者kàn dào看到yí gè一个shēn tǐ身体dān bó单薄、ràng让nǐ你xiǎng想qù去fú扶yī bǎ一把de的rén人shí时，nǐ你dà gài大概jiù就néng能lǐ jiě理解，shén me什么jiào zuò叫做“ruò bù jīn fēng弱不禁风”le了。

Next time you see a small flower shaking violently in a light breeze, or a thin person you feel like supporting, you will probably understand what 弱不禁风 means.

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