How do you pronounce 鞭长不及?

鞭长不及 is pronounced biān cháng bù jí in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 鞭长不及 literally mean?

Literally, 鞭长不及 means “the whip is long, but it cannot reach”. It is used to mean “refers to a situation where one's power”.

Where does 鞭长不及 come from?

鞭长不及 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to the modern era. The full story is on this page.

鞭长不及 — “Refers to a situation where one's power”

鞭长不及 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “refers to a situation where one's power”. Influence, or ability is insufficient to reach or affect a particular matter, often implying an inability to help or intervene effectively. Literally, “The whip is long, but it cannot reach”.

Frequency

鞭长不及 Pronunciation and Pinyin

鞭biān
长cháng
不bù
及jí

鞭长不及 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
鞭	biān	18	whip, flog, or spur
长	cháng	4	long, grow, excel, chief
不	bù	4	not
及	jí	4	reach, and, in time

Example Sentence with 鞭长不及

他很想帮助那些受灾的人，但鞭长不及，只能尽力捐款。

He truly wished to help those affected by the disaster, but his influence was limited, so he could only do his best to donate.

Origin and Story of 鞭长不及

During the Spring and Autumn period, King Zhuang of Chu, relying on his formidable power, dispatched his official Shen Zhou to Qi, passing through Song territory without their consent. The state of Song executed Shen Zhou.

Enraged, King Zhuang launched an attack on Song. Song then appealed to Jin for help.

Grand official Bo Zong advised Duke Jing of Jin not to intervene, stating, "Even if the whip is long, it cannot reach the horse's belly," implying there was no compelling reason to provoke Chu for the sake of Song.

Idioms Related to 鞭长不及

Synonyms of 鞭长不及

biān鞭cháng长mò莫jí及beyond one's reach

Antonyms of 鞭长不及

chuò绰chuò绰yǒu有yú余more than enough

More idioms starting with 鞭

Questions about 鞭长不及

What does 鞭长不及 mean?: 鞭长不及 (biān cháng bù jí) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “refers to a situation where one's power”.
How do you pronounce 鞭长不及?: 鞭长不及 is pronounced biān cháng bù jí in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 鞭长不及 literally mean?: Literally, 鞭长不及 means “the whip is long, but it cannot reach”. It is used to mean “refers to a situation where one's power”.
Where does 鞭长不及 come from?: 鞭长不及 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to the modern era. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 鞭长不及?: 指力所不能及。

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