泥古不化 nì gǔ bù huà conservative and unable to adapt (idiom) syn 顾不得 顧不得 gù bu de unable to change sth / unable to deal with syn 想不通 xiǎng bu tōng unable to understand / unable to get over 经不起 經不起 jīng bu qǐ can't stand it / to be unable to bear / to be unable to resist syn 容不得 róng bu dé unable to tolerate / intolerant / unable to bear sth 一蹶不振 yī jué bù zhèn one stumble, unable to rise (idiom) / a setback leading to total collapse / ruined at a stroke / unable to recover after a minor hitch syn 憋不住 biē bu zhù to be unable to repress sth / to be unable to contain oneself 不知好歹 bù zhī hǎo dǎi unable to differentiate good from bad (idiom) / not to know what's good for one / unable to recognize others' good intentions 拗不过 拗不過 niù bu guò can't persuade / unable to make (sb) change their mind / unable to resist (sb) syn 盲人摸象 máng rén mō xiàng blind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]) / fig. unable to see the big picture / to mistake the part for the whole / unable to see the wood for the trees syn 众盲摸象 眾盲摸象 zhòng máng mō xiàng multitude of blind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]) / fig. unable to see the big picture / to mistake the part for the whole / unable to see the wood for the trees 瞎子摸象 xiā zi mō xiàng blind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1]) / fig. unable to see the big picture / to mistake the part for the whole / unable to see the wood for the trees syn 过不下 過不下 guò bu xià to be unable to continue living (in a certain manner) / to be unable to make a living 成事不足，败事有余 成事不足，敗事有餘 chéng shì bù zú , bài shì yǒu yú unable to accomplish anything but liable to spoil everything (idiom) / unable to do anything right / never make, but always mar syn 适应 適應 shì yìng to adapt / to fit / to suit syn 改编 改編 gǎi biān to adapt / to rearrange / to revise syn 改成 gǎi chéng to convert / to turn into (sth else) / to adapt (a story to another medium) syn 应变 應變 yìng biàn to meet a contingency / to adapt oneself to changes 迁就 遷就 qiān jiù to yield to / to adapt to / to accommodate oneself to (sth) syn 因应 因應 yīn yìng to respond accordingly to / to adapt to / to cope with 调适 調適 tiáo shì to adapt (to an environment etc) / to make sth suitable / adaptation / adjustment / adaptive 随遇而安 隨遇而安 suí yù ér ān at home wherever one is (idiom) / ready to adapt / flexible / to accept circumstances with good will syn 转用 轉用 zhuǎn yòng to adapt for use for another purpose syn 将错就错 將錯就錯 jiāng cuò jiù cuò lit. if it's wrong, it's wrong (idiom) / to make the best after a mistake / to accept an error and adapt to it / to muddle through 不识时务 不識時務 bù shí shí wù to show no understanding of the times (idiom) / cannot adapt to current circumstances / not amenable to reason syn 见景生情 見景生情 jiàn jǐng shēng qíng to be touched by a scene / to adapt to the situation 投其所好 tóu qí suǒ hào to adapt to sb's taste / to fit sb's fancy syn 不识时变 不識時變 bù shí shí biàn to show no understanding of the times (idiom) / cannot adapt to current circumstances / not amenable to reason 燮理 xiè lǐ to harmonize / to adapt / to adjust 移用 yí yòng to use (sth) for a purpose other than its original one / to adapt (tools, methods etc) for another purpose 通权达变 通權達變 tōng quán dá biàn to adapt to circumstances syn 翻拍 fān pāi to make a photographic reproduction of an image or document etc / a reproduction / to remake a movie or TV series / a remake / to adapt (a novel etc) as a movie / an adaptation 识时务 識時務 shí shí wù to have a clear view of things / to adapt to circumstances 化用 huà yòng to adapt (an idea etc) 无法 無法 wú fǎ unable to / incapable of syn 不了 bù liǎo (as a resultative verb suffix) unable to (do sth) / (pattern: {verb} + 個|个[ge5] + ~) without end / incessantly syn 忍不住 rěn bu zhù cannot help / unable to bear syn 不住 bù zhù (verb complement) unable to firmly or securely (grasp, recall etc) / repeatedly / continuously / constantly syn 不成 bù chéng won't do / unable to / (at the end of a rhetorical question) can that be? syn 未能 wèi néng cannot / to fail to / unable to syn 说不出 說不出 shuō bu chū unable to say 没法 沒法 méi fǎ at a loss / unable to do anything about it / to have no choice syn 受不了 shòu bù liǎo unbearable / unable to endure / can't stand syn 发热 發熱 fā rè to have a high temperature / feverish / unable to think calmly / to emit heat syn 恨不得 hèn bu de wishing one could do sth / to hate to be unable / itching to do sth syn 迫不及待 pò bù jí dài (idiom) unable to hold oneself back / eager to do sth without delay syn 看不懂 kàn bu dǒng unable to make sense of what one is looking at 听不懂 聽不懂 tīng bu dǒng unable to make sense of what one is hearing 放不下 fàng bu xià to have no room to put sth / to be unable to let go 搞不懂 gǎo bu dǒng unable to make sense of (sth) 过不去 過不去 guò bu qù to make life difficult for / to embarrass / unable to make it through syn 不孕 bù yùn infertile / unable to conceive a child / infertility syn 说不上 說不上 shuō bu shàng to be unable to say or tell / to not be worth mentioning syn 不得而知 bù dé ér zhī unknown / unable to find out 目不转睛 目不轉睛 mù bù zhuǎn jīng unable to take one's eyes off (idiom) / to gaze steadily / to stare syn 动弹不得 動彈不得 dòng tan bu dé to be unable to move a single step 束手无策 束手無策 shù shǒu wú cè lit. to have one's hands bound and be unable to do anything about it (idiom) / fig. helpless in the face of a crisis syn 身不由己 shēn bù yóu jǐ (idiom) (of one's circumstances) beyond one's control / unable to do anything about it / (of one's actions) not subject to conscious control (i.e. done in spite of oneself) syn 办不到 辦不到 bàn bu dào impossible / can't be done / no can do / unable to accomplish syn 不堪一击 不堪一擊 bù kān yī jī to be unable to withstand a single blow / to collapse at the first blow syn 吃不消 chī bu xiāo to be unable to tolerate or endure / to find sth difficult to manage syn 按捺不住 àn nà bu zhù to be unable to hold back syn 吃不下 chī bu xià not feel like eating / be unable to eat any more 找不着 找不著 zhǎo bu zháo to be unable to find 说不准 說不準 shuō bù zhǔn unable to say / can't say precisely 哑口无言 啞口無言 yǎ kǒu wú yán dumbstruck and unable to reply (idiom) / left speechless / at a loss for words syn 想不开 想不開 xiǎng bu kāi cannot figure out / to be unable to take a lighter view / to take things too hard / to be depressed / to fret over trifles syn 失学 失學 shī xué unable to go to school / an interruption to one's education 无地自容 無地自容 wú dì zì róng (idiom) ashamed and unable to show one's face syn 消受 xiāo shòu to bear / to enjoy (usually in negative combination, meaning unable to enjoy) syn 失笑 shī xiào to laugh in spite of oneself / to be unable to help laughing / to break into laughter syn 一筹莫展 一籌莫展 yī chóu mò zhǎn to be unable to find a solution / to be at wits' end syn 没辙 沒轍 méi zhé at one's wit's end / unable to find a way out syn 怒不可遏 nù bù kě è unable to restrain one's anger (idiom) / in a towering rage syn 摸不着 摸不著 mō bu zháo can't touch / can't reach / (fig.) unable to get a grasp of 忍俊不禁 rěn jùn bù jīn cannot help laughing / unable to restrain a smile syn 经不住 經不住 jīng bu zhù to be unable to bear syn 捉襟见肘 捉襟見肘 zhuō jīn jiàn zhǒu lit. pulling on the lapels exposes the elbows (idiom) / strapped for cash / unable to make ends meet syn 保不住 bǎo bu zhù cannot maintain (sth) / unable to keep / more likely than not / may well 禁不起 jīn bu qǐ to be unable to stand syn 寸步难行 寸步難行 cùn bù nán xíng unable to move a single step (idiom) / to be in an (extremely) difficult situation syn 束手 shù shǒu to have one's hands tied / helpless / unable to do anything about it 爱莫能助 愛莫能助 ài mò néng zhù unable to help however much one would like to (idiom) / Although we sympathize, there is no way to help you. / My hands are tied. syn 入不敷出 rù bù fū chū income does not cover expenditure / unable to make ends meet syn 顾此失彼 顧此失彼 gù cǐ shī bǐ lit. to attend to one thing and lose sight of another (idiom) / fig. to be unable to manage two or more things at once / cannot pay attention to one thing without neglecting the other 无由 無由 wú yóu to be unable (to do sth) / no reason to ... / without rhyme or reason syn 不克 bù kè cannot / to not be able (to) / to be unable to 青黄不接 青黃不接 qīng huáng bù jiē lit. yellow does not reach green (idiom) / the yellow autumn crop does not last until the green spring crop / temporary deficit in manpower or resources / unable to make ends meet syn 吃不上 chī bu shàng unable to get anything to eat / to miss a meal 拿不准 ná bù zhǔn in doubt / unsure of sth / unable to decide / indecisive 下不了台 下不了臺 xià bu liǎo tái to be unable to extricate oneself gracefully / to be put on the spot / to be embarrassed syn 莫衷一是 mò zhōng yī shì unable to reach a decision (idiom) / cannot agree on the right choice / no unanimous decision / still a matter of discussion syn 结舌 結舌 jié shé tongue-tied / unable to speak (out of surprise, embarrassment etc) 架不住 jià bu zhù (coll.) unable to withstand / cannot bear / can't stand it / no match for syn 合不来 合不來 hé bù lái (of people) to be incompatible / to not get along / to be unable to see eye to eye syn 快嘴 kuài zuǐ unable to keep one's thoughts to oneself / blabbermouth / CL:張|张[zhang1] syn 冲昏头脑 衝昏頭腦 chōng hūn tóu nǎo lit. to be muddled in the brain (idiom) / fig. excited and unable to act rationally / to go to one's head syn 吃不住 chī bu zhù to be unable to bear or support syn 揭不开锅 揭不開鍋 jiē bù kāi guō to be unable to afford food 