奈 nài but
but; how
How to remember 奈: 大 big + 示 show = but. The big brother points to the board to show that swimming is banned, and his little sister groans "but how else can we cool off?"
Component breakdown
奈 = 大 big + 示 show
- 大 big
- 示 show
The big brother points to the board to show that swimming is banned, and his little sister groans "but how else can we cool off?"
How it is used
- Bound character that almost only appears in 无奈 (wúnài), "to have no choice, to feel helpless", a very common word for resigned frustration.
- Also in the idiom 无可奈何 (wúkěnàihé): there is nothing to be done about it.
- Never used as a standalone word or in other everyday compounds.
- Conveys a passive, powerless feeling rather than active anger.