📖 Meaning
Describes a situation where one is so helpless that it is as if their hands are tied, leaving them completely unable to come up with any solution. It conveys utter powerlessness in the face of a problem.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Southern Song dynasty scholar-general Wen Tianxiang's memorial to the emperor in 1259. In his petition, he argued against passive surrender to the invading Mongol forces. He wrote that rather than standing helplessly with hands tied while yielding to the enemy, the court should adapt and seize every advantage to drive the invaders out. The phrase contrasted paralyzed inaction with decisive flexibility in a time of national crisis.
💡 Example Usage
面对这突如其来的难题，他一时束手无措。
Faced with this sudden problem, he was momentarily at a complete loss.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 束手无措
- Pinyin: shù shǒu wú cuò
- Literal Translation: bind, hand, no, measure
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4